Worth Fighting For
by WiccaWitch
Summary: 7th Year, Hermione and Draco are Heads while home over Yule they run into each other in muggle London. Hermione is shocked at seeing Draco, she gives in to some drinking and they wake up with tattoo's but not just any tattoos. Rating for later chpts.
1. And so it happened

**A/N: This is NOT a song fic! It just contains some lyrics. I don't do song fics – never have been able to – though portions of this are inspired by certain songs.**

**Worth Fighting For**

**Prologue: And so it was**

My 7th year at Hogwarts was supposed to be the best yet, it was the end of an era so to speak; and should lead into finally becoming a true part of the wizarding world. Don't get me wrong, I'm a part of it, I just need the chance to really prove that I belong, because I do ya know! There are those that believe a muggleborn such as myself doesn't belong, yet I've shown them all time and time again over the last 6 years that I can do anything. I have the highest marks in school and there isn't a spell I've found yet that I can't do! So far 7th year was going as expected, Malfoy was being his usual self, Ron was chasing anything with a descent set of legs and big tits, Harry was finally getting to relax; and good old Voldie had disappeared, no one quite knows what happened to him. Then there was me, I'm not that special really, I was studying for Newts in my every spare hour. Whatever else would you think I would be doing? But I planned on having some fun very soon – Yule was coming and I was going home for it!

**Chapter 1: And so it happened**

The day after Christmas and I'd already ditched the parentals. I was finally growing up, not needing to see them all the time when I came home from Hogwarts. Tonight was my night for fun; I strolled up to the entrance of Platinum – a new club that I found at the end of this past summer – I could already hear the music from outside and my body started to hum to the rhythm of it. I saw that Scotty was standing at the door as always; the 23 year old bouncer stood 6'2", shaggy dirty blond hair and all muscle. He reminded me of a muggle version of Blaise Zabini. Scotty smiles at me as he sees me approach; I always know that if Scotty is working I'll be getting in without a problem!

"Evening Mya!"

"How are you Scotty?" I embrace him in a friendly hug.

"Much better seeing your beautiful face."

"Is there a pool table free in there?"

"Isn't there always? I think you've got a permanent reservation on that back table." Scotty quickly looks me over, seeming to notice I'm not dressed in my usual attire, "are you expecting company tonight, cause you're looking real good?" My attire consisted of a denim mini skirt that only about mid-thigh, a blue paisley halter top, belly chain, and knee high black leather boots with 2inch heels (they're practical that way).

"Not tonight Scotty, just needed some fun, and that music sounds divine!" I could hear the lyrics of Evanescence even through the closed door and unconsciously I started to sway my hips.

"Mya, oh don't do that to me, you know I can't resist!" I watched a shudder flow down his body.

"Well then Darlin' let me in and we won't have any problems!"

Scotty opened the door and ushered my inside the club. If I thought the music was contagious from the outside it was only magnified 10 fold when I entered. I walked straight to the bar, "Margie, Smirnoff Twisted pick a flavor!" Margie handed me apple, she certainly knows me well, it's my favorite flavor, "Thanks Margie, can you send another to the back table in about 15 minutes?" She nodded and I made my way to the back table to begin my usually Friday night!

Pool cue in one hand and drink in the other I sashayed my way to the back to rack the balls. I was just getting ready to break my first set when a favorite song of mine started to play – I may be English but damn I do love Nickelback! Through the first verse I close my eyes and absorb the music.

_Here comes the next contestant_

BREAK I watch the balls scatter on the table; I sink three balls and line up my next shot as I take a drink.

_Is that your hand on my girlfriend?_

_Is that your hand?_

_I wish you'd do it again_

_I'll watch you leave here limping_

_I wish you'd do it again_

_I'll watch you leave here limping_

_There goes the next contestant_

I hit the next ball with a little too much force and the cue ball bounces off the table and onto the floor to roll into a corner. The guy sitting in the corner throws it back at me and I mouth thanks. It's then that I realize my next shot gives him a view of my ass; perhaps a black thong and denim skirt wasn't the best thing to wear. I just shrug my shoulders and take my shot. I notice then that Margie brought my second drink over. Damn, had it been 20 minutes already? I walk to the other side of the table and take a long drink off the ice cold liquor. I finish that game fairly quickly, the music can do that to me on occasion, oh my they must have it in for me tonight, Linkin Park too. There's something to be said about American music, they certainly know how to get the blood flowing! Ah damn, bad song, makes me think of school and that ferret! Good thing he isn't here.

_Too many times that I've _

_Held on when I needed to push away_

_Afraid to say what was on my mind_

_Afraid to say what I need to say_

_Too many things that you've said about me_

_When I'm not around_

"Damn him!" I shoot the cue and break the next set! "I'm on fucking holiday and he has to get under my skin even here!"

_You think having the upper hand_

_Means you've got to keep putting me down_

_But I've had too many stand-offs with you_

_It's about as much as I can stand_

_Just wait until the upper hand _

_IS MINE!_

I focus back on my game and my drink as I finish off a second Smirnoff. I signal Margie I need a third, I have a feeling this is going to be a long night and I won't be able to apparate home! The song finishes out as Margie brings me a third drink.

"You better go easy on those Mya, I've never seen you drink them so fast."

"Don't worry Margie, I'll be fine. Aren't I always?"

She just nods and walks back to the bar. I set up the balls for a third game as the guy from the corner walks up behind me and sets a bottle of whiskey on the table next to my arm. His other arms snakes around my middle trying to cop a feel; oh no you don't buddy, I elbow him in the ribs pushing him back. It's then that I notice the whiskey is Ogden's. Muggle bars do not stock wizarding liquor, great, that means bozo here is a wizard, just what I needed on my night of fun.

I whip around to face him, ready to tell him to back off when I notice he's not just any wizard, "What the hell do you think you are doing here?" I'm still holding the pool cue in my hand ready to use it on him if needed.

"What, you aren't happy to see me? You didn't seem too bothered when I tossed that ball back at you, or when you were showing me your lovely ass either!"

"You know damn well that wasn't intended for your pleasure and you need to leave, NOW!"

"Don't think so, Mya," he says my name as though my name should be a secret, "I know who you are, you know who I am and I think a game is in order."

"I've played enough games with you and I'm done, we're done. If I've told you that once, I've told you a thousand times, now leave!"

"One game, one bottle, and I'm gone!" He holds up his hands in defeat, he knows I'll do what I need to in order to get rid of him.

"Fine, but we play by MY rules!"


	2. Let the Games Begin

**Recap: **_"One game, one bottle, and I'm gone!" He holds up his hands in defeat, he knows I'll do what I need to in order to get rid of him._

_"Fine, but we play by MY rules!"_

**Chapter 2: Let the Games Begin**

2 hours and one bottle later:

Mya lined up a corner shot on the 8 ball, trying hard to hold her balance; half a bottle of whiskey would do that to anyone.

"If you don't shut your trap, I'm going to smash what's left of that bottle over your scrawny head." Mya called back over her shoulder as she took her shot. The 8 ball bounced off the right wall and back to the middle. "Damn it; now see what you made me do?" She picked up the bottle of whiskey and chugged a shot.

"You shoot like a girl." He staggered forward grabbing the cue out of her hand.

"That's _**hit **_like a girl, you piss ant, and if you haven't noticed by now I am a girl!"

"You say that like it's a bad thing." He grinned cockily, lining up a side shot on the 8 ball.

"It's an insult, piss ant, now take your damn shot…both of them!"

"I'd much rather take you, but the whiskey will do for now." The cue ball cracked across the table hitting the edge of the 8 ball sending it spinning into the side left pocket. "I'd say that's game, set, and match. You owe me a kiss!"

"I owe you no such thing, I said one game, one bottle, you're gone; you've had 2 games and one bottle – now you're gone!" Mya took the few unsteady steps needed to reach the table, leaning her hands against it and trying to regain her balance. A quietly muttered spell allowed the dizziness to wear down, but the alcohol was still zooming through her system. As she regained her bearings she felt him behind her, he placed his hands on her arms.

"Come on, Mya, just one, that's all I'm asking." His hands ran down her arms to circle her bare waist, his fingers playing with her belly chain, he nuzzled her hair noting she smelled like fresh strawberries. "One kiss can't hurt, it never did before."

Mya spun around quickly to face him, causing his arms to wrap around her waist, taking advantage of the situation he pulled them flush with each other. Mya could feel his hardness pressing into her belly, a reminder of times past that sparked lust coursing in her veins.

"Tell me you don't feel it; tell me it's all a dream, because I can't get you out of my head!" He asked before she could berate him for taking liberties with her.

"It's your dream, your delusion, and I will not get caught in it again, I won't!" She placed her hands on his chest, intending to push him away; her fingers flexed a moment, relishing the feel of his warmth against her, "I'm done, it's over, you know that! You, oh arrogant one, only admit you love me when you are drunk, and I will not be with you when you are drunk or even when you are sober for that matter!" She pushed him away from her; he stumbled back into a nearby chair. "We are done, finished, caput, do not come near me again." With that Mya walked about of the club intending to apparate home.

It took him only a moment to realize that she left, he scrambled up out of the chair and flew out the door, he looked around trying to see sight of her. There, to his left, he could never mistake that hair or that fine ass! He took off to the left catching up with her moments later. He grabbed her wrist and turned her to face him, still holding her wrist with one hand and his other around her waist.

"We are _**not**_ done yet. You want to know why I only admit I love you when I'm drunk. It's because it's the only time I'm insane enough to say it, to think that maybe one day you might say the same again. You loved me once too remember! Or was it so easy to forget, were you using me just as they said you were; because I sure as hell wasn't using you. Say something damn it!"

Mya pulled her wrist out of his grasp, massaging it with her other hand. "What do you want me to say? Yes, I loved you; yes, you hurt me; no, I won't take you back. It's over; you have to deal with that. And finding me while we're on holiday and in a muggle club no less that's low even for you! I'm going home now, and you are going to let me go." Mya was tired; tired of fighting, both him and herself, she couldn't win, there was no easy solution here.

He bowed his head, resting it on her shoulder, his arms held tight around her waist. Letting go was the last thing he wanted to do. He let everything get in the way once; he wouldn't let it happen this time. He looked up into her eyes, she noticed the fierce determination she saw in them.

"NO!"

"You know once I make my mind up there's no changing it, I always get what I want, Mya, always!"

"Let go of me, right now, I mean it!" She struggled to break lose of his hold on her waist.

"Never again will I let go!" She looked up into his eyes in time to see the lust coated determination clearly portrayed before he kissed her hard and apparated them away.

**Sunrise the following morning**

Hermione woke to the sun shinning through her bedroom window. She absently waved her hand at the curtains causing them to slide closed as she buried her head beneath the blankets, hoping to grab a few more hours of sleep. After about 15 minutes of watching the clock she knew that sleep would not come again that morning. Blindly opening the drawer at the bedside table Hermione grabbed a hangover potion she kept handy for days such as these. Hermione groaned as she sat up, morning was the one thing right now she didn't want to face. Things had not gone well last night, being ambushed at the club, drinking herself into a stupor, yeah, not well at all.

She silently padded to the bathroom, nothing better for a hangover than a good hot shower. Hermione looked at her reflection in the mirror, noting the dark circles under her eyes and wondering if she had any concealor left. Taking a step back from the mirror she noticed something there that wasn't there yesterday; in the center of her chest sat a grayish blue dragon with eyes of glowing amber, his wings spread across her chest above her breasts and his tail spiraled between her breasts pointing towards her stomach.

"Oh Shit, oh shit, oh shit, oh shit. Tell me I didn't do that! Mya, you're stupid!" Hermione berated herself as she walked back to her bedroom. Reaching the doorway in record time she took in the state of the room. Everything looked as it should with the exception of the bed, there, tangled in the green flannel sheets was a certain blond with a rather toned chest that she was hoping she wouldn't see. Hermione braced herself against the wall; on his chest, just over his heart, was his own emerald eyed Bengal tiger looking ready to bound right off of him, it was the other half of her own tattoo! "Damn it all, how could I have been so stupid?" Or drunk, she added in her mind.

Deciding she couldn't stall forever, Hermione waved her hands at the curtains opening them as much as possible and letting the sunlight stream into the room.

"Alright, you, out of my bed," she drew the covers back, "out of my house, and out of my life!"

"Mya, shut the damn curtains and I'll get up."

"Oh no, I want you up and out now, I'm not shutting them. You got me into this, now I'm kicking you out of it!" Hermione stood in the doorway with her arms crossed over her chest; she hadn't paid attention to her state of dress, or rather near undress.

"Fine," the blond grabbed his wand from the floor and quickly closed the curtains allowing his eyes to relax in the dim light, "I'm up, are you happy now?"

"Your sarcasm will solve nothing, I want you to undo it and undo it now!"

"What in the bloody hell are you talking about?" He ran his hands through his hair and rubbed his eyes trying to wake himself up. When he looked back he could tell she was mad as hell, she stood at the foot of the bed, her hands on her bare hips, her chest heaving under the white tank top she wore, and he smirked at the green satin knickers she wore.

"You know damn well what I'm talking about, you bound us together, you fucking prick!" Hermione picked up a vase off her dresser and threw it at his head; he ducked as it crashed against the wall.

"You can't undo it and neither can I; I thought you of all people would have known that. Wizarding marriages are permanent, no annulment, no divorce, no undoing the magic that bound us."

"Oh no, there has to be a way to undo it, there's always a way to undo it. There's always a counter spell or something. Damn it, why did you do this?" Panic was overrunning her logical mind; Hermione sank to the ground pulling her knees up to her chest. She took a moment to collect herself before speaking again. "This is _**all**_ your fault. You just couldn't let go, couldn't let me live my life," With every sentence she drew closer to him, "No, you had to go and fuck it up by marrying us!" Hermione pushed him back on the bed, so she stood straddling his legs. He grabbed her arm as she moved to push him again, pulling her down on the bed flush with his body.

"Do you plan on listening to me, or just continuing to assault me?" He wrapped his arm around her waist with his hands flush against her back. "You aren't going to get anywhere so you might as well talk to me."

"Since when are you the rational one?"

"Since I know that there is no way out, we deal with it and we move on. I'm trying to make the best of a _bad_ situation." His hand on the small of her back started to inch her shirt up so he could caress her skin; his baby blues never left her own brown eyes. "Why fight it when the sex is so good?" He was now drawing circles on the small of her back, trying to stir the lust he knew was kept deep within her.

Her stare wavered, her eyes fluttered closed for a moment at the sensation he was causing in her; like a snake he struck, his mouth on hers, his kiss was strong, demanding and urgent. He pulled her shirt up her back exposing more skin to his wandering hands, his tongue tasting her lips, seeking entrance to the warmth of her mouth; entrance she granted as they dueled for dominance. Hermione's hands tangled in his hair holding him close as she rolled to her side, he followed rolling them all the way over so he lay between her legs. Hermione wrapped her leg around his holding him to her as she lifted her pelvis up, an unspoken plea driving her forward. He nipped her bottom lip as he broke the kiss and continued further down her neck; he ground his pelvis against her, his need evident as it pressed against her thigh.

Hermione felt the flutter of wings on her chest as he pushed her shirt up taking an aching nipple in his mouth. He raised his eyes to hers as he nipped, licked, and sucked her nipple into a pert aching bud. Like a man starving he attacked the other nipple, giving it the same attention, his eyes never leaving her face as he watched her pleasure play out. They continued to grind against one another, her nails clawing his back as she held him to her; with one hand he teased her unattended nipple, while his other stroked her side moving lower to the waistband of her knickers. He smirked against her skin remembering the color of her knickers, green certainly did suit her well. His fingers dipped under the waistband of her knickers traveling lower to brush the outside of her wet folds. He slowly pushed two fingers inside of her and something in him raised its head and growled _**mine!**_A growl started low in his throat, he raised his head, his eyes locking with hers, "Mine," he claimed her lips in a bruising kiss as his fingers continued to pump in and out of her, bringing her to the brink of orgasm, but not quite pushing her over.

He pushed further into her flicking the tips of his fingers in a come hither motion, "Say it, Mya," he growled as he kissed her again, breaking away quickly as he withdrew his fingers from her body, "Say it and I'll give you everything you want."

Hermione whimpered at the loss of contact, so close, she was so close to orgasm. She reached her hand up around his neck grabbing onto the small length of hair she found and brought his face nose to nose with hers, "Fuck me hard," her statement was punctuated with a sharp up thrust of her hips.

"Say it!"

"Go to hell!"

"Been there, sweetheart, nice to visit but don't feel like staying, thanks." He rotated his pelvis against her heated core, "If you want this," he heard her moan low, "You have to say it!"

"Fuck you and the horse you rode in on!" Hermione pushed against his chest rolling him to the side as she jumped off the bed. "I don't care if you're the last man on earth, I won't say it, and I **WILL** find a way out of this!"

He jumped off the bed and stood toe to toe with her, "You think so do you? Well, let me tell you, there is only one way out of this and I don't think you're willing to go that far!"

"Oh, trust me, I could kill you, don't ever doubt that."

"Are you willing to risk a piece of your soul on that? Because that's the cost, Hermione," he walked away from her, pulling back the curtains he stood at the window staring out at the horizon, "Somehow, I don't think you're willing to risk that."

"You better take a second look because there is more to me than you will ever know, I hold more secrets than you do, I'm sure!"

"No, I think you're only worried about one thing," he turned to face her, the light from the sunrise highlighting him in an opalescent glow, "I think you just want to make sure that you don't get pregnant before you figure a way out of this."

Hermione's heart sank in her chest, she had forgotten about that, forgotten that for the tattoo's to fully bind they had to consummate the marriage; from the look of the bed and the lack of clothes she was certain that they had gone at it half the night.

"Tell me you used some kind of contraceptive spell, a potion, hell, even a muggle condom would have worked!" Hermione's ire rose when he smirked at her.

"Now how could I have forgotten the latex? You know how much I just love the latex; oh wait, I was supposed to have the potion on hand. Darn, I forgot to brew it, and, my dear Hermione, if I remember correctly, you were a little to busy trying to get me naked that I had dropped my wand somewhere on the floor near the bed. Now you tell me, in your assault of my person last night when I had time to do any of those before you jumped me? Oh yes, that's right, I couldn't, and it's too late to do anything about it now." He grabbed her around the waist, swinging her around so she landed on the bed, he lay atop her prone form, "Don't worry, luv, any child would be born after you graduate."

"You arrogant, egotistical, self-serving bastard; how could you?"

"Easy, I told you last night, I'm not letting go, never again will you get away from me. I don't care if you're half a world away I'll still know where you are. Get used to it, Hermione, you're stuck with me, till death do us part."

"I wouldn't be so sure of that if I were you." With a flick of her wrist and a wave of her hand, Draco was thrown across the room, "I wouldn't follow me if you know what's good for you." Hermione quickly slid on her hip-huggers that were thrown over a chair, grabbed her wand and apparated out of her house.

He sat slumped against the wall marveling at her blatant display of wandless magic, while he chuckled to himself, "You'll be back, Hermione, you always come back."


	3. Unexpected Answers

**A/N: **thank you to Nicole for being a wonderful Beta - this story would totally suck without you!

Chapter 3: Unexpected Answers

When Hermione apparated out of her own room she did not think about where she would go, only that she needed to get away before she hurt the little rodent sitting on her bed. So it came to no surprise to her when she found herself sitting in the second to last place she wanted to be – Grimmauld Place!

Grimmauld Place itself wasn't so bad, no; it was the occupant of said dwelling that would be her grief. Yet maybe fate had been kind to her placing her here; this was a pureblood residence, with an enormous library, and with a pureblood in residence who may know a way out of her dilemma. Ah, but first, clothes; in her anger and haste she had managed to neglect dressing herself. She should still have a few things in Sirius' room; now, to get them without announcing her presence in her current state of undress. The last thing Hermione needed, or currently wanted, was for him to think she was offering.

Hermione made her way out of the kitchen towards the stairs. She cast a temporary levitation charm to hold her suspended six inches off the ground yet still allowing her to walk up the stairs – all without making a sound. She walked quickly and silently to the last door on the right; she drew a quick symbol in the air over the hinges ensuring they wouldn't squeak. When Hermione was certain she could enter undetected she opened the door enough to slide through into the room. As she opened the closet door noiselessly she realized, for all her stealth, she was still being watched.

"Look your fill, Sirius; it shall be your last for a good long while." Hermione pulled a black camisole off a hanger and tossed it on the bed behind her, she then moved to the dresser, bending over to open the bottom drawer. She could feel Sirius' eyes on her scantily clad bottom, yet she only cared for finding her blue-black suede hip huggers.

"The pair you are looking for is in the drawer to the left, darlin'." Sirius spoke next to her ear.

To her credit Hermione did not shift, never once did she let on that Sirius had startled her. He had always been good at moving swiftly and silently through the house and coming to stand closely behind her. Oh how she wished she could tell him she was still jail bait and very off limits to him, but alas, they had crossed that barrier the day she turned 18 a few months back.

"Now, Sirius, you know it is not proper to take advantage of a lady in distress."

"Ah, but you are hardly in distress and you may deny it, and me, all you want but I can still smell your desire."

"You are mistaking frustration for desire, and furthermore," Hermione stood abruptly, hip huggers securely in her grasp, poking him in the chest, "my state of 'dress' is NOT for your benefit." She swiftly slipped into her pants and moved towards the bed for her camisole.

"So, ma Cher, for whose benefit was your state of dress? Clearly you have been thoroughly fucked recently." Sirius casually leaned against the dresser crossing his feet in front of him with his arms crossed nonchalantly across his bare sculpted chest.

"Crude as usual, I should expect no less from you." Hermione paused in putting on her top. She pulled off her skimpy tank top to reveal the dragon now adorning her chest. "For this lovely tattoo I have been thoroughly fucked as you put it. Although I currently seem to be a bit fuzzy on the details."

Sirius stood up straight, quick, fast, and in a hurry, "Who is marked with the tiger?" Sirius' tone changed drastically from playful banter to serious business.

"Trust me; you do NOT want to know."

"That tattoo is binding, ma Cher, powerful magick was used, I do not want to be unaware of whoever is going to be pounding down my door after you."

"Don't worry, he won't come here." Hermione slipped her tank top back on and her camisole quickly followed. "He wouldn't dare come to Grimmauld Place, he likes his balls too much for that!" she added under her breath.

"You don't…"

"I DO, Sirius, I know how this works, trust me on that, he can sense me, find me, and feel what I feel. I KNOW all of that. Trust me when I say he will NOT come here. He'll wait, he's good at that. What I don't know is how to undo it." Sirius noted a twinge of hurt in her voice.

"Finish dressing and meet me in the kitchen for some coffee. I believe those knee high black leather boots of yours are still in the closet."

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

"Now that you've had 2 cups of coffee and appear slightly calmer would you care to fill me in?"

Setting her coffee down, Hermione jumped up to sit on the counter bracing herself to recount the last 24 hours. "Do you want the long version or the short version?"

"The short will do for now."

Hermione took a deep breath and then a sip of coffee, "Alright then, last night I went to Platinum, had a few drinks, played a few games. Then _he_ showed up, gave me a challenge – you know how I am with challenges Sirius, I can't step back from one, even if it was _him_ – so, we played and we drank; we drank a lot. When he made a move on me I stepped back and walked out, but he followed, vowed he'd never let me go and apparated us away. Next thing I know I'm waking up in my own room, I head to the bathroom for a shower and notice the lovely dragon now adorning my chest. So, I go back to my room because I figure he's got to be there, and tell him he'd best undo it, he plays dumb of course so I remind him what he has to undo by the tiger now adorning his chest. He has the audacity to tell me it can't be undone, we're stuck this was, married for the rest of our lives. I got pissed and apparated out, no destination in mind and lo and behold I end up here!"

Sirius was quiet for a long moment, a pensive look upon his face, "Does he know?"  
"Know what?"  
"You know damn well what I'm talking about. Does. He. Know?!" Sirius punctuated his last words by aggressively stepping towards her, stopping just shy of touching her legs.

"Of course he doesn't know, you are the only one to know and that was pure accident you found out!" Hermione jumped down to stand nose to nose with Sirius.

"He deserves to know."

"Bullshit! If he hadn't bound us in the first place he wouldn't need to know a damn thing. I refuse to tell him." Hermione crossed her arms in defiance, turning so Sirius was staring at her back.

"You are acting like a petulant child." Sirius tried to goad her. "You never told Draco either." Hermione glared at him over her shoulder. A small smile crept across Sirius' features.

"He didn't need to know then and he certainly doesn't deserve to know now."

"Ah, so it is Draco you've married." Sirius grinned smugly as he leaned against the counter.

Hermione quickly turned on her heel, her fists balled up and ready, she punched Sirius squarely in the jaw with all her momentum behind her, knocking his smug arse to the floor.

Sirius jumped to his feet ready for another swing at his jaw but was caught off guard when the heel of Hermione's boot caught him in the gut.

She stood ready, taking a fighter's stance. "Come on, Sirius, be a good boy and stand up again."

"It's not me you want to fight and you know it. You know as well as I do, with all your reading, that a marriage binding only happens if on some level both parties want it. You and I both know he did and that means you still want him too." Sirius slowly got to his feet while moving back from Hermione. He could see the slight glow to her skin, a clear sign her magic would soon explode outward, probably right at him. "He duped you once, I'll give you that, but you weren't honest with him either."

Hermione loosened her stance but refused to drop her guard. "He lied to me, deceived me from the start, and left me for dead, how do you figure I still want him?"  
"You and I both know you were in no danger of dying from those wounds."

"But he didn't know that!" Hermione screamed as the canisters behind Sirius exploded. "He didn't know I would survive, he left me to die in that field, Sirius, his girlfriend, the one he supposedly loved, he didn't even try to help me."

"I didn't know at the time either if you would survive and by the way, you do recall we were fighting a war then? Just like now, it's not over yet – the only difference is that now he's on our side." Sirius moved to stand directly in front of Hermione, placing his hands on her wrists, trying to ease her stance. "You are special, Ma Cher, more so than anyone knows."

"Help me undo this. Sirius, please help me find a way." Hermione collapsed to the floor held in Sirius' arms. The fight had gone from her leaving on despair.

"Don't worry, love, I'll help." Sirius brushed her hair back from her face with his fingers, enjoying the silky feel of her hair. Sirius leaned in and kissed her temple before picking up her sleeping form and carrying her upstairs to his bed.

Sirius quietly closed the door making certain not to disturb her. He slid down the banister avoiding the creaky steps and rushed out the door without looking back. There were things to take care of and time to see and old friend.

**A/N: **

I hope to have another chapter up shortly - I appologize for taking forever to update! As you can tell there is definately more to the story than I have said and snippets will be revealed...so does anyone want to take a guess on what Draco doesn't know and Hermione isn't telling????

As always it's been a pleasure...please give the story a review...i love reviews...they're my bread and wine when it comes to writing...helps feed the muse ya know:D


	4. Fist Fights & Threats

**WFF Chapter 4: Fist Fights and Threats**

Malachi wasn't someone that could be classified as a large man – he was stocky and well built, standing at a remarkable 6'4" and weighing in at 225 lbs (though you'd never know it); his skin was an olive tan from being raised in the Mediterranean, if the eyes are the window into the soul, then Malachi's would be an ocean of the deepest aqua ever seen. If you were to pass him on the street, it would be easy to assume his profession included enforcement of some type, however, that is not where he can be found, nor is it where Sirius located him after leaving Hermione sleeping.

Sirius walked boldly into _A Colored World_ with purpose in his every step. There was only one man that Sirius knew that could create a tattoo of the quality and perfection that Hermione's had been done – Malachi!

"Malachi, old friend, it's good to see you." Sirius clasped the other man's arm with enthusiasm.

"Don't tell me you need another tattoo, Sirius, don't you have enough already?" Malachi's deep baritone voice resonated with humor.

"No, my friend, unfortunately I come to you with something much more important. When was the last time you crafted the _dominase_ tattoo on a couple?" Sirius's voice held no humor, only serious inquiry. The _dominase_ tattoo was one in which was wholly binding and could not be undone even by the strongest of magicks. It was represented by two halves of the same whole, in Hermione's case that was the Chinese yin and yang of the tiger and dragon. "I need the truth, Malachi."

Before Malachi could answer, the doors to A Colored World burst open once more revealing a very angry blond man.

"I want answers and I want them NOW!" screamed the intruder.

Malachi turned his intimidated 6'4" frame to face the man, "Just why might I be inclined to give you anything?" He crossed his arms making his appearance that much more menacing.

"You assured me that the _dominase_ would allow me to feel her presence, her feeling, to know where she is. I can feel **nothing** of her; it is as if she doesn't exist at all!" The man raged at Malachi, meanwhile, Sirius inched himself back against the wall to stay out of sight until he had what he needed.

"Perhaps, if you had thought about it before charging in here, you cannot feel her presence because she does not want you to."

"Then why did you not mention this prior to the tattoo's being done?" He demanded.

"You never asked the right questions, Mr. Malfoy!" Malachi leaned back against the counter smugly. "Perhaps, if you had asked if there were any loopholes to the magic of the _dominase_ I would have been inclined to answer them, however, I see no reason to tell you any of it now, as it is already done."

Draco stewed for a moment on what he was just told; did that smug bastard just have the audacity to tell him he did not need to know?

"I would refrain from threatening me with your father, Mr. Malfoy, as he had the displeasure some years ago of feeling my rage. I am quite certain that he would not wish to repeat the experience." Malachi moved to get into Draco's face. "Know this, young one, there is a way to undo the _dominase_ and if your lady should wish it I will grant her that way, but know this as well, she holds more secrets than you may ever know and I would recommend against pushing her too far."

"How dare you threaten me…"

"I am not threatening you in the least, simply giving you some friendly advice and a few warnings. How ever much you think you know, I suggest you forget it, because as of right now, you know absolutely _nothing_."

Draco turned, angry and humiliated to leave, "Know this, _Malachi_, I have always gotten what I wanted, I will continue to get what I want, even if I have to destroy you in the process." With that Draco left, slamming the door behind him.

"You may try, young one, you may try." Malachi's words carried on the wind with the slamming of the door. Malachi turned back to see Sirius reclining a chair on it's two rear legs against the wall. "Did you enjoy the show then?"

"Oh yes, I must say that was very intriguing; I can at least tell Hermione two things now. One – you know how to undo it, and two – Draco had planned it. Though I think you should know, the binding has taken, and the wings of her dragon shimmer and flutter." Sirius dropped his chair to all four legs and stood, all in one fluid motion, masking the disappointment he felt by inflecting humor into his voice. "Let me ask you this, Malachi, how is it you know so much about my dear girl? Is it possible you know her secret?"

"You ask many questions, Sirius, yet I am beginning to believe you already know the answer to many of them."

"That little interlude was very revealing; you knew what he was planning, you saw how drunk she was, and yet, you still enchanted both of them with _dominase_. Why?"

"When was the last time I gave you a tattoo, Sirius?"

"You are evading the question."

"A year ago, I believe is when you got that phoenix on your left shoulder blade. Tell me, has it burned recently? Changed in appearance; a pile of ash in its place, just to be reborn again on your shoulder blade within minutes? I am not blind, Sirius, it was actually rather hard to miss seeing, why do you think she ended up back with you and he cannot sense her?" Malachi stood nose to nose with Sirius, his voice hard as nails.

Sirius took a step back, "You know nothing of which you speak! The phoenix has not changed, nor will I allow it to. _Dominase_ cannot be done twice, you know this as well as I."

"But she is not the same as you, she holds a secret, Sirius, do you know it?"

"I gather you believe you know more than I. Allow me to enlighten you then, I know more about her than you shall ever, so yes, I know her secret, and perhaps I should be more inclined to inquire about yours though." Sirius snarled back at him.

"To know one is to know all. I believe you should be returning to her now, Sirius, if he knows anything about her, he'll know where to look for her." Malachi moved away from Sirius into the back to the shop.

"Until later, my friend." Sirius left the store, apparating immediately back to Grimmauld Place. What he walked in on was not a sleeping nor very happy Hermione..

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Sirius closed the front door behind him, bemused by the scene playing out in front of him. Sirius watched as Hermione continued to swing punches at Draco's face and gut, never stopping or giving him a chance to fight back. For a fleeting moment a thought passed through his mind not to intervene the show was just to good to let it stop now however, it would just be wrong to let Hermione beat his ass without all the information first. Hermione had backed Draco up into a wall where she continued to wail on his stomach; reluctantly Sirius knew he needed to say something.

"Hermione, perhaps you should give the poor _boy_ a chance to explain himself." Sirius chuckled as he walked further into the room.

Hermione paused for a moment, Draco still holding his arms in front of his face; she turned to face Sirius, her stance still rigid. "Give him a chance to explain, oh and why might I want to do that? This ferret has left me for dead, bound me to him without consent and now tells me that I have no way out of it and wants me to go with him. In what way should I be inclined to listen to his bullshit?" Draco made the vital mistake of dropping his arms; Hermione swung a final punch knocking him out. "Now, I'm minorly satisfied. Any objections to dumping him outside for me? No, great, you do that and I'll go grab a drink."

Sirius grabbed the smelling salts he kept handy from his sparring with Remus and used them to wake Draco. Draco came to with a start and came up swinging, punching Sirius in the eye.

"Boy, you do that again and I'll not be so nice next time around."

"Save your threats, I've had enough of them today. Where's my wife?" Draco got to his feet and started for the kitchen.

"I'd not do that if I were you, unless you like being passed out on the floor." Sirius rose to his feet with a grace only he could manage. "You need to leave my home this instant. You are not welcome here, not by her or by me."

"Not a chance, I want answers, and I'm going to get them." Draco sauntered into the kitchen. Hermione had her back to him, thinking it was Sirius she ignored the presence until Draco grabbed her shoulders and swung her around to face him. "We need to talk, **now**!"

"Get a life, you took advantage of a situation last night and I will not stand for it. I will find a way to undo this, Draco, if it takes ever breath I have left and every ounce of fight I have in me; and trust me, I have a lot of fight left in me!" Hermione kneed Draco in the groin, causing him to fall to the floor. She stepped over his prone form to seat herself on the tabletop watching his misery.

"What have you done now?" Sirius entered the kitchen to see Draco cradled on the floor. "Is it really necessary to beat the shit out of him at every turn?"

"Are you defending him?" Hermione asked incredulously, "Besides you were suppose to throw him out on his ass, not wake him up." Hermione took a swig of her hot cinnamon tea before setting it on the table beside her.

Sirius raised his hands in defense to halt her aggression. "I am merely pointing out that there are other ways to solve this. Since we're all here, would you like to know a few things about your darling new _husband_?" Hermione cocked an eyebrow, "I thought as much. Well, it turns out here that Draco planned your little escapade last night. He had talked to the tattoo artist before hand, found out everything he wanted to know about the _dominase_ and got you drunk enough to consent to it." Draco scowled up at Sirius from the floor; Sirius in turn leaned down next to Draco, "I was there, young one, when you confronted Malachi; I know all about it."

"You know nothing, _old man_," Draco smirked pushing himself up, "She's mine now." He added in a whisper for only Sirius to hear.

"Not for long, you heard Malachi, it can be undone!" Sirius stood and turned in one fluid motion, before he could take two steps, Draco lunged for his back grabbing Sirius around the throat. Sirius reached back and grabbed Draco's shirt and neck, subsequently flipping his arse over to land on the floor once more. "You listen to me and you listen good, you are not welcome in this home, Hermione is protected from you while she is here. If you lay one hand on her upon your return to Hogwarts, I will have your head and then she will truly be free of you! Do you understand me?" Sirius' tone left no room for argument, he was truly serious and Draco knew when to back off and create a new plan of attack.

Draco acquiesced rising up off the floor; more than just his pride was bruised. "I'll see you upon our return to Hogwarts, _wife_!" Draco slammed the door upon his exit.

"How certain are you that he's on our side? I'm not so sure about that anymore, and why is he so determined to keep me when he had the audacity to leave me for dead?"

"I believe, ma cherie, that you hold a grudge for entirely too long. Let it go that he left you for dead that was over a year ago now. You have one week before you go back to Hogwarts, and there is still many things we need to cover. Let's go."

**A/N: I know that this story seems to be full of secrets, and well, you'd be right; but there is so much more to come, more secrets to ponder and some answers...perhaps shortly. BTW - I haven't decided yet whether this is Dramione or Sirimione - it may change...or it may take a few more chapters for me to figure it out. I'll take a vote now on what you all think... **

Chapter 5 is underway and about 1/3 written...look for it soon.

Please remember to review...the muse loves reviews!


	5. Return to Hogwarts

**WFF Chapter 5: Return to Hogwarts**

Seven years ago when Hermione first started Hogwarts she couldn't imagine a time when she would ever hesitate in returning. Now, in year seven of her education, there are reasons she would prefer not to be at Hogwarts; all of them could be counted on one hand. Two men have a desire for her affections, two men that seem intent on each out doing the other. The dominase seemed to bind her to Draco, but there was more to it than that. Someone knew something they weren't telling her; perhaps she needed to learn to read between the lines.

Sirius was right though, there were many things they had needed to cover in the last week; he conceded that her fighting skills were not chief among them as evidence by the ass whipping that Malfoy took. On top of that, the world did not know that Hermione Granger had married Draco Malfoy, nor did the world need to know in her opinion; however, with Malfoy chasing her all over school there was going to be questions, questions that she had to be prepared to deal with, as well her friends needed to be prepared, something she would deal with upon her return..

Sirius decided that a visit to Malachi had been in order; apparently there were things she needed to learn about what he called _dominase_. Perchance there was an upside to this debacle after all.

Sirius and Hermione walked into A Colorful World to meet with Malachi; Hermione noticed that the shop looked like any other she would have seen in the muggle world and not the wizarding world. Her memory from being tattooed was still rather fuzzy so she didn't get a good look around the first time she was here. Pages upon pages of possible tattoo ideas coated the walls, some she noted were Malachi originals, others were generic ideas; there were two in particular she recognized, the black wolf and the phoenix, both with distinctive markings; she'd have to file that away for later consideration.

_"Ms. Granger, it is a pleasure to see you." Malachi welcomed them, Hermione noticed immediately that Malachi could be very intimidating should he desire to be, yet his voice was soothing to the soul, "if you would just follow me we'll get started." Hermione understood that they had to follow the guise of being here for a tattoo if they didn't want anyone who shouldn't be listening to hear them. Malachi led them to a back room that he promptly warded against anyone who would want to listen or enter._

_"Sirius tells me that you know a way out of my situation." Hermione went straight to the point, they all knew why they were here, so there was no point in beating around the bush to get there._

_"That would be the truth; however, I would like you to consider a few possibilities for me." Hermione found it hard to resist that deep baritone voice, she nodded her head allowing him to continue his proposal. "There are many things we can learn from Mr. Malfoy if the dominase is used in the correct manner." Intriguing, what could Malachi know?_

_"This tattoo can be used? I am aware that if a person wishes they can sense the presence of the other half, however, I am blind to how that will be useful, never mind any of the other features."_

_Malachi looked pensive for a moment, "am I right in that you doubt that Mr. Malfoy is truly on our side?" Hermione nodded, "what do you believe his motives for binding the two of you?"_

_"The arrogant arse believes because we had a past relationship that he has a right to claim it any time he wishes and has now bound us in marriage – although I would call it anything but holy matrimony." Hermione started pacing the room, and was stilled when Sirius stepped up behind her and placed his hands on her shoulders. Hermione leaned back into his body, Sirius wrapped his arms around her, allowing his hands to rest on her flat stomach._

_"The truth Ms. Granger, is that with the dominase, you can sense his mood, his feelings, occasionally even his thoughts if you are strong enough; which it happens I believe you are. You can even sense where he is. I will tell you as well, that he cannot sense you;" Hermione straightened up a little on that note, her curiosity had been piqued, " you have managed to block yourself from allowing that to happen. You are very unique, with unique talents that have saved you in the past and will continue to aid your survival."_

_"What exactly do you know?" Hermione was sidetracked by Malachi's last comment, she cocked her head at Sirius over her shoulder, "and what exactly have you told him?" Hermione's voice was accusing towards both men._

_Malachi drew her attention away from Sirius, "He knows only what you have allowed him to know and he has told me none of it," Malachi's eyes held hers, "yet I still know, how do you suppose it is that I know?"_

Hermione was jerked out of her thoughts as the train ground to a halt at the Hogsmeade Station; she was back, once again, and this time for the last time. Hermione sighed as she looked out her window watching the people exit the train; they were so jovial in their return, oblivious to the problems that plagued her.

As it were she had been lucky thus far, Draco had not made a point of finding her on the train, and hopefully her luck would hold through the evening. Hermione braced her mind for his attempts at locating her or sensing her feelings, she decided that nothing shall give away what she was thinking or feeling; not the look on her face, nor the stance of her body.

She stood and stretched, slowly exiting the train and ignoring the people around her; being known as the quiet bookworm friend of Harry Potter tended to help keep people away. Her friends were already in the castle, having stayed over the break; although, she supposed telling them sooner rather than later would be a good thing. On the other hand, they both enjoyed their meals an awful lot, perhaps waiting until they were done would be prudent.

Hermione sat alone in the common room, memories dancing in her mind like the flames before her. Somehow she knew that she had seen Malachi before, heard him explain features of the dominase. It has other purposes aside from marriage, it wasn't always a soul binding tattoo; if she could just put her finger on the memory she'd be fine. Damn not having a pensive!

THAT was it! Hermione jumped out of her seat, silently pacing in front of the fire place; the feature she remembered, it was a year ago when the black wolf had been put on her left shoulder blade. What had he said? Think Hermione. Oh yes!

_Malachi was working on inking the black wolf onto Hermione's shoulder blade_

"_The dominase, Ms. Granger, can be one of two things. The first is to bind two souls together for the rest of their lives, thus being a marriage of sorts." Malachi stopped to wipe the excess ink and blood away, "this gives the bound a sort of protection charm, the charm is inked into the skin with the tattoo, thus at times the tattoo will seem to move and shift much like the paintings in Hogwarts," Hermione laid in the chair, pensive as she allowed Malachi to work on the tattoo, "this charm also allows each to be aware of the other and go to them in their time of need."_

_"That does not seem to be so bad, what's the other prospect?" Hermione turned her head to watch Malachi instead of Sirius; Sirius simply smiled as he leaned back on his right side to keep off the phoenix Malachi had just finished on his left shoulder blade._

"_The second is also a binding, though not the forever sort. The difference is in the intent when the tattoo is crafted;" Malachi glanced across Hermione to stare at Sirius, "this type allows each person to become aware of the other, knowing thoughts and feelings much like the first; yet, unlike the first each person may be blocked from knowing the other's thoughts and feelings, and even from finding them."_

"That sneaky, lying, no good, son of a bitch, I think I'm going to kill his sorry ass," Hermione paced in front of the fire, "could have told me, but noooo, he couldn't be bothered!"

"Hermione?" Ron and Harry entered the common room staring questioningly at Hermione. Her skin had taken on an iridescent glow as she paced. The boys could hear her cursing under her breath, something that sounded peculiarly like 'kill Sirius'; nevertheless, she was talking too quickly to be comprehensible.

"Perhaps you would like to calm down?" Harry questioned.

"What are you talking about?" Hermione's hands flew to her hips as she tapped her foot in impatience.

"You're glowing." Ron pointed out.

"You only do that when you're really angry." Harry added.

Hermione glanced down at herself unable to see what her friends were talking about. Gruffly she sat down on the couch, "bugger!" Hermione crossed her arms across her chest and continued to stew over her personal revelations, all the while the boys noted that her skin kept its iridescent glow. "Well, what are you waiting for, sit!" She snapped at the boys.

Quickly glancing around, Harry and Ron each grabbed one of Hermione's arms and pulled her off the sofa, "not here," they said in unison; somewhere in the back of her mind she thought she should be suspicious of their behavior; however, her anger caused her to dismiss the notion as quickly as it arose.

"We need somewhere more private." Harry said as they exited the room. Hermione figured they were heading for the RoR; it _**was**_ the safest place they knew of in all of Hogwarts, and wizarding London for that matter.

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN SIRIUS ALREADY TOLD YOU?"

"Hermione, love, you're glowing again." Harry and Ron stepped back; Hermione's anger and magick was palpable in the air. "Mione, please, calm down."

"Don't tell me to calm down Ronald Weasley; Sirius Black had no right whatsoever in deciding to tell you that Draco Fucking Malfoy decided to bind us together using ancient magick! Ancient magick that I, by the way, have no idea how to fucking break yet! But I will, oh, let me tell you, if I have to kill the son of a bitch I am going to break this magick." Hermione held her hands fisted at her sides, her anger and her magick were palpable in the air.

Cautiously Harry spoke, only knowing for certain he would rather not piss Hermione off further, "he wanted us to be prepared, so we didn't flip out on you; you know how we are with news like this."

"Prepared, he wanted you to be prepared?" Hermione's voice had taken on a softer pitch hinting at a dangerous quality held within Hermione.  
"Mate, she's scaring me." Harry whispered to Ron.

Hermione suddenly screamed and flung her arms out to the sides her hands splayed wide; her magick exploded out from her finger tips and rippled off the walls. Slightly calmer she looked at the boys, "I think the only thing that you needed to do was listen to me, and what I told you about this. Yes, we need to be prepared; Malfoy is bound to have some trick up his sleeve; especially since he knows that the dominase isn't working the way he wanted it to."

"Do you think Malfoy is using you as some kind of leverage for the dark side?"

"I don't even think Malfoy knows what he's doing. This could be some joint plot between him and his bastard father, or this could just be Malfoy trying to reclaim our old relationship." Hermione spat the word relationship as though it was as fowl and loathsome as the person it referred to. "Either way, it isn't good, because I'm going to kill the little bastard if I have to."

"How did he manage to get you to get the tattoo?"

"He got me drunk; a bottle of Ogden's will do that." Hermione answered, sarcasm dripping from her every word. "Oh, and the best part; you'll love this; I may be pregnant! That's right; we fucked like rabbits all night long!" Hermione threw her hands up exasperated and turned to face the wall leaning her head against the cool stone.

Harry and Ron stared at her in disbelief; they could understand the tattoo, they could understand the getting drunk, but Hermione pregnant by Malfoy, please God no!

Hermione's mind conjured a heavy bag in the middle of the room, gloves appeared on her hands, she glanced down at them a moment, pushing back from the wall; she turned to face the back and the boys saw the change in her immediately. Glad that her anger was no longer directed at them, they watcher her as she proceeded to kick the shit out of the heavy bag.

"You know, we could just as easily conjure his face on there for you."

Hermione spun around and kicked the bag with her left foot as hard as she could, knocking the bag off it's chain and sent it sliding across the floor.

"Or, on the other hand, we can let you kick it all you like, you're doing just fine!"

Mentally, Hermione re-hung the heavy bag and started her work out again. There was always something relaxing about working out, something about martial arts that relaxed her mind; silently she thanked her parents for indulging her whim of studying when she was 8.

"So, how do you want us to handle Malfoy, Hermione?"

Hermione quickly did a double jab with her left before completing a round house kick with her right. "I want you to go on as normal. Nothing has changed; he's still Malfoy and we're still us. I have refused to acknowledge this _marriage_ until I figure out what he's up to. Even then, I'm not sure I will." Hermione punched the bag a few more times before stilling it with her hands. "Besides, I'm not sure who I'm angrier at currently, Malfoy or Sirius!" In her mind she acknowledged the possibility that if what Malachi told her was true, she may not be as tied to Malfoy as she first thought. Nevertheless, she was not going to be certain of anything until she found out more. Research is her best subject!

"Are you still sore at Sirius for telling us?" Harry punched the heavy bag, barely managing to make it shift position. He stared at it curiously, wondering how much force Hermione put into her punch to make the last bag fly across the room.

"I'm angry with Sirius for what he neglected to tell me!" Hermione rounded on the bag, landing a straight kick to its center, sending both the bag and Harry flying across the room. "Sorry Harry; forgot you were there."

"S'alright." Harry groaned as he attempted to stand. Harry wondered what Sirius could possibly not told her, but his thoughts were cut short by Hermione's next words.

Hermione turned to face both her friends, "I have an idea," her eyes gleamed with mischief, "and this is going to be Marauder worthy."


	6. Lines are drawn

Is WFF – Chapter 6: Lines are drawn

For the first week Draco kept his distance, silently watching her from the shadows, gauging her actions, and wondering if her _friends_ knew of their little escapade. He sneered at the thought, of course she would tell them; she always told them everything. Nothing had changed; they were acting normal; as if she wasn't now married to the Slytherin Prince. His face scrunched in confusion as he thought about the demeanor he had witnessed thus far. The trio appeared completely at ease with one another, as though there was no strain on their _relationship_. His confusion morphed into a smirk; perhaps she was better at keeping secrets than he gave her credit for. She has been able to keep their secret well, he thought snickering to himself.

At the back of the stacks, somewhere to the left of the last window Draco hid himself in the shadows watching Hermione work. Currently, she was engrossed in her reading, he wasn't entirely certain as to what she was studying; nevertheless, it was clear by the scrunch of her brow and her finger following the line of the book in front of her that she was hard at work. Even though it had been a week he'd been in close proximity to Hermione he had yet to be able to get a feel off her. It seemed the only vibe she was giving off was resentment; Draco had a feeling that was purposely aimed towards him. It made no never mind to him, what's done is done and there is no way she could undo it without killing one of them. He was fairly sure that she would never stoop so low as to actually murder him. With that thought in mind and a smirk planted firmly on his lips Draco sauntered out from his hidden alcove in the library. Now… time to see if his darling wife could maintain her composure.

Hermione felt his presence nearby when she entered the library nearly two hours ago; she knew he was there, but at that point she wasn't quite certain where nor did she particularly care. However, that was two hours ago and the sense of eyes boring into her back was being to irk her. Hermione sat back and stretched, her arms reaching above her head causing her shirt to drift up. A sudden pang of lust hit her square in the gut; she caught her reaction to it by forcing a yawn. There was no doubt in her mind where that feeling came from, for sure and for certain it came from Draco, same as the feeling of being watched.

If the dominase really had the abilities that Malachi proclaimed it to have, then she should be able to pinpoint his exact location along with how he was feeling, though she could garner she already knew the latter. It shouldn't be that hard, she thought. Besides, hadn't she done more complex magic than simply feeling around her with her senses?

Hermione looked down at her parchment, picked up her quill and closed her eyes. By all appearances, it would seem as though she was intently concentrating on the project set before her. However, instead of focusing on her work, she opened her senses to everything around her. She had two things working in her favor; she held a connection to Malfoy and she was uniquely talented, even in the wizarding world. The first few moments were like standing in the middle of an amphitheater with everyone yelling around her. Hermione realized that she was picking up bits and pieces of the conversations happening in and around the library; she didn't know how that happened, nonetheless, she'd file that away for later consideration and exploration. She had to narrow down what she wanted to find, and since that was Draco she had a fairly good idea he was behind her.

Hermione blocked out the audible noises from the surrounding area and focused on the emotions. A smile flittered across her features as a new understanding came to mind; searching out a person was basically using the feelings of an empath. They feel the emotions of another person, usually someone within close proximity; except in Hermione's case, the proximity wasn't limited to any particular distance far as she could figure. The pull of Draco's essence was strong behind her and to the left; if she remembered correctly there was a little known alcove behind her to the side of the stacks. The pang of lust certainly came from him, she could feel the residual energy of the emotion, now all she felt was…well, how could she name that emotion? It felt like a hidden agenda; she'd have to figure out why he'd bound them, but for now she would revel in her minor triumph of pinpointing him and his emotions. With her eyes still closed, she lifted her head up and turned it slightly towards the left, a small smile adorning her lips. _Oh yes, Draco, please come play; I've been waiting._ Hermione hid her elation deep within as to not broadcast her feelings, lest he was trying to get a read on her. Hermione turned back to her parchment as to not arouse his suspicions. She had no doubt, whatsoever, that he was watching her.

Draco sidled up beside Hermione, close enough to feel her body heat, but far enough away as to not actually touch her. He figured she would be too wrapped up in her studies to realize he was there which would in turn give him the advantage. He leaned in sniffing the fragrance of her hair savoring a moment of being close to her before he softly spoke to her.

"Hello, darling _wife_." He gave her credit, despite his intentions; she didn't even flinch at the sound of his voice. "If I didn't know better, I'd think you knew I was here."

"That would be because I did," Hermione turned to face him, bringing their faces inches from each other, "_husband_."

He was not impressed by that, not at all. She wasn't supposed to know he was there. If he couldn't get a read off of her through the dominase then she shouldn't be able to get a read off of him either! Draco scowled and jerked back.

"I get it, you wanted me to be the perfect little wife; quiet, meek, and knows her place. You knew what you were getting when you did this. You damn well knew that I am not meek, I am not quiet, but I assure you I do know my place." Hermione was pissed, beyond pissed, she was livid, how dare he believe that he could make her into something she wasn't. Abruptly she stood up, her chair falling to the floor behind her. "I will not cower to you, Draco; I will not be the _good little wife_, I will not go quietly into the night. While were on the subject of what I'm not going to do why don't I add one more for you. I'm not sure I'll be your wife at all." Leaving her books behind, Hermione stormed out of the library, no destination in mind except somewhere far away from Malfoy.

"Bitch!" Draco spat as he watched her leave. Nothing was going the way it was supposed to. She was supposed to be his again. She was supposed to want him and only him. The damn dominase was supposed to give him some pull over her; he should have been able to know where she was and what she was thinking.

This simply wouldn't do. Draco raced out of the library in hopes of seeing which way Hermione had gone. They weren't done, not by a long shot. Damn it. She'd vanished again. Trying to think like a Gryffindor was stupid, he was Slytherin, there was no way he could think like she does in order to find her. Whoever thought of that ought to be hung by their toes and slowly tortured!

Uncertain which way to travel, Draco opted to go up; the towers were a good place to hide. Wait, she said she wasn't meek and she wasn't quiet, she wouldn't hide. _Got it!_ Up was still a good idea, he knew where he'd find her. Feeling confident once again, Draco started taking the steps two at a time.

About the time he hit the fourth floor he ran smack into another body as he rounded to take the next flight of stairs.

"Oi, watch it, Malfoy."

Draco stood, in a way only he could manage, brushed off his robes while looking down his nose at Harry and Ron. This was the perfect opportunity to see what they knew. Draco's smirked brightened just slightly.

"Where's my wife, Weaselbee?" What was it with people not flinching today! This day was not going how he wanted it to at all!

"Did you lose Pansy again, Malfoy? I thought she was always glued to your side!" Harry and Ron laughed as Draco grew red in the face. They knew he was pissed, but this was just too much fun.

He would not lose his cool, he would not. Get it together Draco; you know how to outsmart these two louts. "For your information, Weasel, I was talking about your bookworm friend Granger. She happens to be my wife now."

"Like Hermione would ever marry you; she'd have to be either stupid or drunk. And we all know that Hermione is anything but stupid!" Harry chimed in. But she was drunk he admitted silently.

It was all part of the plan. The "Make Draco look like a fool" plan! Hermione was nothing, if not brilliant. So far, it was working perfectly. The more they denied it and didn't get angry the more pissed off Draco got and the more likely he would be to slip up and make a mistake. Hermione was right; it was Slytherin sneaky and Marauder worthy.

"Geez, Malfoy, I can't believe that you would want people thinking you were married to a _Mudblood_;" Inwardly Harry cringed as he said the blasted "m" word, but it was a necessary evil currently, "it must be horrible being taunted by your Slytherin buddies."

"Catch you later, Malfoy." Harry and Ron continued down the stairs. They knew where Hermione was and Gods help Malfoy should he actually find her.

Draco watched their retreating backs; something was fishy about this situation. Both Potter and Weasley were not that level headed, they would defend Granger with their lives; O_h you're good, Granger, very good. _This should be easy to manipulate now that he knew they knew; except getting them to rise to the bait would be the problem. Now to find Granger.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*************~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Are you sure this is a good idea?"

"I'm not really certain of anything at this point, but I'm running out of options." Hermione ducked a punch, and rose with one of her own.

"He's bound to figure it out. You do know this?" Hermione's sparring partner swiveled out of reach.

Hermione paused her fighting, a look of resignation on her face. "He already knows something is off, but he insists on being pig headed and believing this _thing_ he's concocted has a chance of working. I don't even know if he's done it on his own or because his father wanted him to in order to have some leverage."

"Do you seriously believe that?" Hermione's sparring partner shook off her gloves, "Hermione, listen to me; Draco does what he does because he's selfish and arrogant. Despite what you and the rest of Gryffindor believe he is not his father's lackey."

"I am so angry with both of them right now; I'm not sure which one to punch first." Hermione did a quick round house kick with her left, causing her partner to duck back and return with a kick of her own. Hermione raised her hands signaling a break, they both stepped back and grabbed their jug of water. "You know I had to walk away from him down there, I'm liable to rip his head off if he comes near me anytime soon."

"You are going to incite more anger from him with this plan of yours."

"Yes, but you know as well as I that anger will cause him to make mistakes."

"And mistakes reveal truth." She nodded her head in understanding; a sly smile flittered across her features, "Are you certain you are a Gryffindor and not a Slytherin? Sometimes, I swear you are both."

Hermione did not get a chance to answer as they were interrupted; "My Lady?" The portrait called out.

"What is it, Niko?" Hermione asked as she removed her hand wraps.

"Mr. Malfoy is on his way here, would you like me to permit him to enter?"

"Turn him away, Niko." Sighing heavily Hermione turned to her companion, "I'll have to deal with him soon enough, I'd rather not have to kill him today if it's avoidable.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**********************~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Niko materialized in the hallway, his portrait revealed on the wall but with no signs of the door. Niko's portrait was created as close to life size as was possible. The frame was roughly seven feet high and four feet wide made of cherry colored oak. The scene depicted was of the Scottish Highland Coast with fields of wild heather; Niko normally stood sentinel in the center, his clan tartan draped across his body in deep purples and silver. Niko himself consumed most of the frame standing at six feet two inches tall, his broad shoulders and muscled arms tanned by the highland summers. His hair fell to his shoulders in waves of auburn, offset by eyes as blue as the ocean behind him. Which explains why Hermione had asked him to act as a guard for the room when she was inside; his presence would intimidate the majority of people that happened by, very few ever wished to tangle with a highland laird. It also helped so she would know who was coming and wanted in; it made it so much easier to keep out the unwanted and to make excuses as to why the room was unavailable. Niko would never break her trust and reveal he was acting as her guardian, though he held more of her secrets than he had ever intended.

Niko watched as Malfoy paced the hallway in front of where the Room of Requirement should be; Niko scoffed under his breath, anyone who knew anything about this room should know that when occupied the door will not be revealed. Nevertheless, Niko watched as Malfoy paced for fifteen minutes straight with no results; and Niko was not about to offer the arrogant heir any help either.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*************************~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This was getting him no where, he needed in that room, he knew that she was in there it would be the only place she would go to get away from him. Besides, he'd seen her friends coming down the stairs that was proof enough she was up here. So, why wasn't the door being revealed?

"You're stupid, Draco." He admitted aloud to himself, "The door won't show when the room is occupied." Draco stopped his pacing and stared at Niko's painting, Niko stared straight back at him. Draco stomped over to Niko's portrait, "Hey, you." Niko moved to the side of the canvas pointedly ignoring Malfoy's calls. "I'm talking to you, get back here."

Niko strolled to the middle of his portrait, crossed his arms behind his back and stared coldly at Malfoy. "Perhaps, if you would try some manners, people may be more apt to listen to you." Niko pivoted on his left heel and strolled towards the edge of his canvas once again.

"You aren't a person, you are _only _a portrait." Malfoy sneered.

"All the more reason to ignore you. Good day, sir."

"I'm not done with you, get back here." Niko continued to ignore Malfoy and strolled beyond the image of his portrait, "I'll slash your portrait to shreds, I swear it!" Malfoy drew his wand and had it pointed at the center of Niko's portrait.

Niko poked his head back into the side of the frame, the remainder of his body hidden somewhere off the canvas. "I shall enjoy watching you try." Niko's voice assured Malfoy that he would indeed enjoy watching him try. After Sirius had been in the castle in third year another layer of charms was added to all Hogwarts portraits protecting them from such desecration. Malfoy apparently thought better of his threat, pocketed his wand and stalked off muttering under his breath about the audacity of portraits.

************~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~&&&&&&&&&&&&&~~~~~~~~~~~~~~************


	7. Dreams

WFF Chpt 7 – Dreams

_Hermione ran through the open field leading up to Hogsmeade. She could hear the yelling, the crying, and the screams as people tried to run from the Death Eaters attacking the town. She couldn't understand why Hogsmeade was a target, it was summer, and students weren't around. What were they after? Hermione stopped running and dodged behind a tree, a swirl of green light shot past where her shoulder had just been. Time to take it a bit more stealthily; they knew she was here. Was that the point? Were they trying to draw her out? And if so, why? Only a handful of people knew she was here, and she was certain they would not betray her._

_Slowly, she crept up to the town, staying off the path and behind the trees. They may know she was here yet that didn't mean she had to make it easy for them. Plus, they didn't know exactly where she was and she could use all the element of surprise she could get at this point. Silently she shot off three quick stunners, dropping three Death Eaters to the ground. They may not stay out long, but perhaps just long enough for her to figure out what, or maybe, who they were after._

_"Hello, Red."_

_Hermione stood stock still, twice she had faced off with a Death Eater who insisted on calling her Red, and twice before she had managed to evade him. Hermione schooled her features to prevent her shock from showing; and gracefully pivoted on her heal to face the Death Eater, her wand in hand and ready to strike._

_"Hello, Dolohov. It's been awhile, sadly, I've forgotten to miss you!"_

_"Now you don't really mean that." Mock hurt lacing his voice, Dolohov took a step towards her, wand at his side, "last time I didn't even get to give you a reminder of me."_

_Hermione side stepped to her left, staying out of his reach but making certain she never turned her back towards him. He may be able to get her with magic, but she would make certain he sure as hell could not lay his hands on her. _

_"Really, and here I thought I had all the reminder of you I would ever need. Shame you left too soon last time; you would have had a nice cushy cell inside Azkaban too."_

_"Tut tut, Red, sarcasm does not become you. I think you need a reminder of why I'm not in Azkaban."_

_Hermione sense his attack and spun to her right, shooting off another stunner in his direction; Dolohov ducked down to the ground and shot off a spell of his own catching Hermione square in the ribs. Vaguely, Hermione registered the fact that she was now lying on the ground bleeding from multiple wounds. Hermione gathered what strength she could to keep hold of her wand. She was quickly loosing focus on the world around her. A moment later, Dolohov hovered over her; one foot on each side of her hips, he braced his hands on his knees a sadistic smile upon his lips. She stared blankly up at him, blackness loomed at the edge of her vision and her eyes could not bring his features into focus. Her brain was screaming at her to pick up her wand and kill him there, but her arm wouldn't listen and her mouth couldn't form the words._

_Dolohov leered over her prone form lecherously; Hermione was too far gone to realize the thought that crossed his mind, a thought he later dismissed. He may be a sadist but even he had his limit on the amount of blood he wanted to deal with. "I'd say it's been a pleasure, but alas, the real pleasure will be in knowing that in a few moments you'll be dead. Ta, Red." Dolohov mock saluted her then stepped over her laughing as he left her to bleed out on the ground. _

_Hermione was too weak to try and Apparate herself out or to even call for help. With all the Death Eater activity going on around her there was little chance that someone would notice her and stop the bleeding. It seemed that she was knocking at death's door and not for the first time either. Suddenly, a second Death Eater was hovering over her. He let his mask fall from his face for a moment; his steely gray eyes bore into her chocolate brown ones. She blinked and tried to reach for him, but found she didn't have the strength to move. The blackness was reaching for her again and he was sliding out of focus. He mouthed something she couldn't quite make out. A red beam of light shot over his shoulder, he looked up and a red light shot out of his wand as he took off running leaving her alone on the ground._

"NO!" Hermione screamed and shot up in bed, her arms held out before her, hands splayed as a shield formed around her. Slowly she looked around and realized she was no longer in that field near the tree line; she was not bleeding, and death would not be coming for her this night; or any other night anytime soon. Hermione let her hands drop and the shield along with it. After a few moments she started to breathe normally again; her right hand subconsciously traced the wing of the dragon that was over her heart. Beneath it she felt the only remaining scar of Dolohov's attack.

Hermione looked down at her hand tracing the scar on her chest; but the only thing she could see was the dragon. Her thoughts momentarily drifted to Draco, the look in his eyes as he stared at her in that field and the hurt inside her as he ran past her leaving her to die. Tears welled in her eyes as she remembered the hurt of watching the man who supposedly loved her run away. Harshly she brushed the tears from her eyes, vowing once again to never let him hurt her or anyone else for that matter.

She let her eyes drift closed as she remembered more of the attack and her injuries.

Moments after Draco left her, another form slid to the ground next to her. Hermione was too weak at that point to know whether that person was friend or foe, whether she was in more danger or being rescued. She felt his hands as they roamed over her wounds trying to staunch the blood flow; his words were incoherent to the haze in Hermione's mind. She was numb from the pain and only wanted to let go of it all. A shiver ran through her as she remembered the feel of calloused hands brushing her hair away from her face, and then gently picking her up and apparating her out of that field and into a dark room.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Sirius fell with a loud thump to the floor of the library, startling himself awake. A vision of Hermione danced before his eyes; she was sitting on her bed at Hogwarts, her knees pulled up to her chest, her hand tracing her last scar, and a blank look upon her face. He hurt for her, realizing the memory she was reliving; a memory that he would gladly help her forget if he could. Although deep down Sirius realized that it was that memory that kept her going, kept her strong and able to face the dangers of their world.

Sirius lifted himself from the floor and brushed off his jeans as he sat back on the couch. The wings of the phoenix on his back stretched out, raising its head sending a silent call out into the night. For once Sirius agreed with the phoenix, he needed her, yet she was too far away, safe in her room at Hogwarts. He laid his head back and closed his eyes, whispering her name into the air.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Hermione's eyes shot up looking wildly around the room. A quick purview of the room revealed no one around, yet, she would swear someone had just said her name. It was only a ghost of a whisper, but she heard it just the same.

"Hermione," Her name whispered through the room once more.

Hermione closed her eyes concentrating on the voice; she opened her sense searching for a line of energy to follow. The whisper seemed to float around the room making it difficult to pin down. Hermione sat up straighter, let her knees fall so she sat Indian style upon her bed, her hands resting palms up on her thighs, she once again let the energy flow through her and around her.

The whisper floated through the air again, sounding more like the crooning of a bird, a call for a mate. She was momentarily confused by the feel of the energy until she found its source. A slow smile graced her lips, her blood sang upon finding where the energy was coming from; she knew that energy was familiar with it in a way no one else was, or ever would be, and he'd left a trail for her to follow.

"Sirius," Hermione smiled into the dark; for a moment she forgot her dream, forgot about dying, forgot about Dolohov and Draco, and focused solely on Sirius' call to her.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Sirius sat up on the couch, his body going on alert, he could feel magic stirring in the house and it wasn't coming from him.

A purple mist began swirling in the center of the Grimmauld Place library; Sirius shifted so he was sitting on the edge of the couch, his wand in hand. Confusion and intent interest flittered across his features, swirling mist was magic he was unfamiliar with; besides that there was no one else in the house to cast magic and Sirius knew that no outside magic should be able to pass through his wards. Sirius grinned inwardly anyway as he thought his wards were nothing compared to Hermione's.

"Focus, Sirius!" he chastised himself.

Slowly a body began to form in the mist; bare, shapely legs led tantalizingly up to a scantily clad bottom, and dark wavy auburn hair. When Sirius realized the person's back was to him, he set his wand on the table to his right him and rose from the sofa. Silent as a cat he stalked up behind the figure, his hands lightly caressing up and down her bare arms. He brushed her hair back from her shoulder and softly kissed her neck.

She turned in his arms and laid her head upon his tattooed chest. He wound his arms around her, holding her close to him; she held just as tightly to him, her nails lightly digging into his back. Sirius breathed in her scent, relishing the feel of her in his arms and marveling at the fact she stood before him. He unwound his arms from her and lifted her face to his, softly kissing her lips before pulling back to gaze upon her soft features.

"How, Hermione?"

Hermione was silent as she looked into his eyes; slowly she grazed her nails down Sirius' back and around his waist. She put a single finger to his lips to cease his questions. Hermione lightly scraped her nails down Sirius' chest as she started walking him backwards; she reached behind him with her right hand, waving the coffee table out of the way in order to have a clear path to the couch.

Sirius felt the backs of his knees hit the couch, Hermione lightly pushed against his chest making him sit. She crawled up on the couch after him, placing one leg on either side of his so she sat straddling him.

"Hermione."

Hermione kissed him quickly, silencing his words.

"No, Sirius, just kiss me, make me forget." Hermione placed her hands on Sirius' neck and pulled him towards her, "make me forget," Hermione crushed her lips to his sucking the breath from his lungs. Sirius returned her kiss with gusto; holding her loosly around her slim waist with both arms.

Hermione pulled herself closer to him, pushing Sirius farther back into the sofa; her hands kept his face to hers barely breaking for breath. Hermione traced his lips with her tongue, seeking more, needing more, knowing the Sirius could give it to her and would give it to her.

Sirius tightened his arms around her waist, one hand resting on her ass so he could pull her lower half flush with his; he felt her hips swivel, enticing him into more. She sucked his lower lip into her mouth, nipping at it before kissing him harder; his tongue dueled with hers for dominance, his hands clutching at her back, lifting her shirt up to feel the bare skin beneath.

Slowly sanity returned to Sirius' mind, he still held her close to him, but ceased kissing her with the intensity she craved. He loved her with everything in him, but knowing she was now married to the ferret put a kink in his libido.

Hermione started kissing her way down Sirius' neck, grazing over his pulse point; she could feel his pulse steadily even out. Hermione sighed inwardly; this was not going well, not at all how she imagined it could or should be happening.

"Hermione," Sirius cupped the sides of her face forcing her to look up at him, "this isn't right."

Hermione jumped off Sirius' lap, "Not right, NOT RIGHT! How the bloody hell can you tell me this is not right? You called for me, Sirius, not the other way around!" Hermione stood with her hands on her hips, glaring at Sirius, there was no way that he could be serious in his argument, no possible way.

"You're married now, Hermione. Married. There is no undoing that, not without the death of one of you, and we both know that it's not going to be you." Sirius stood up and took a step towards her. Hermione immediately took a step back avoiding Sirius' reaching hands.

"You are right about one thing, Sirius," Hermione's chocolate eyes gleamed mischievously, "I am married; but that's the only part that you are right about. Think about that for awhile." Hermione turned her back on him ready to Apparate out of the house and back to Hogwarts.

"Wait a minute, what did you mean 'I called you'?" Hermione could hear the confusion in his voice, part of her anger dissipating as she realized he didn't know the full extent of what he'd done.

"Just that, Sirius, you called to me and I answered," Hermione responded without turning around to face him. "Now, since you refuse to have a little fun while I'm here and help me I think I'll be leaving."

Sirius grabbed her around the waist and pulled her back against his chest, "I'll always want you, Hermione." He placed a lingering kiss on her bare shoulder. Slowly kissing his was up her neck till he reached her ear. "How did I call to you?" He kissed her neck again, harder this time; lightly nipping at the skin to leave a small love bite along her collar bone. Sirius chuckled inside, that will certainly piss the ferret off. His hands traced the skin along the waistband of her shorts; teasing her with possibilities but never venturing lower. "I need to know, Hermione." His hands finagled their way under her shirt, resting just below her breasts.

Hermione cocked her head to the side inviting Sirius to continue kissing her; she moved her arms to her sides to grab on to the belt loop of Sirius' pants, pulling him closer to her. Despite her indignation at his earlier remarks, she wanted him, needed him, and if baiting him would accomplish that task then she was not above using any power of persuasion she could.


	8. A Little Understanding

_Thanks to my beta, Nicky, for fixing my mistakes and my Americanisms..._

* * *

Spring seemed to be starting early this year with Saturday dawning clear and warm; Hermione stretched her arms above her head, the covers falling down near her waist. She rolled to her side and stared out the window at the early morning sunrise. The sun dawning over the mountains had always brought a smile to her face. Thoughts of Sirius caused her smile to widen further; her body still ached and it had been two days since she had seen him, or rather two nights.

Hermione tossed the covers back and padded to the bathroom, for once her Saturday would not be clogged up with studying or helping the boys; this Saturday was for her to relax and enjoy. A nice hot shower was the perfect way to begin her day before heading down to breakfast. She stepped into the steaming water, letting it cascade down her body, and allowing her mind to wander.

Memories of Sirius' hands upon her body, making her body burn with desire caused a flush to creep up her skin and her arousal to build. She closed her eyes and felt his hands upon her breasts, his hard cock at the cleft of her arse.

"Sirius."

"Yes, love."

Hermione turned in the shower, her back pressing up against the cool tiles and Sirius' hands upon her waist. He stood in front of her, naked as the day he was born, the hot water giving a red tinge to his taut chest and shoulders.

"I understand now, love," he whispered into her ear and pressed his body in closer to hers, feeling the hitch in her breath and the wetness of her arousal.

She wound her fingers into his wet hair, her eyes locking on his and seeing the spark of his desire for her. She kissed him softly, tasting the sweetness of his lips and the fragrance of the water. His hands wandered down to cup her arse, lifting her so she was sitting perched between his pelvis and the wall. Her legs wrapped around his waist, heels digging into his arse, sending his throbbing erection into her slick core.

Hermione braced her hands on Sirius' shoulders, her breath coming in short, quick pants. Her nails dug into his shoulders, his blood pooled just beneath the surface, if she pressed any harder she'd draw that blood out.

Sirius' grip on her arse increased, he buried himself further inside her before pulling out and sliding back in harder. Hermione crashed her lips to his, sucking his breath from his lungs. Sirius set their rhythm with Hermione sliding up and down the wall, her hands splaying against the tile.

"Siri…Sirius, oh, ah…yes!" Hermione's orgasm exploded inside her, drawing Sirius further into her and milking his own orgasm from him. He rested his forehead upon her shoulder, his own breath coming in quick gasps.

Hermione brushed her fingers through his damp hair, leaning her head against his and cradling Sirius against her. Sirius kissed her neck and dropped her legs to the floor of the tub.

"The water is getting cold, love." Sirius kissed up her jaw line to her lips, his arms wrapping around her slim waist.

"You should be going."

"Not sure how I can go about that."

Hermione reached around him to turn off the water. Sirius continued to caress her bare skin, kissing her shoulder and her neck. Hermione giggled as he hit a most sensitive spot below her ear.

"Sirius," she pushed his head back, "I have to get dressed. I happen to be at school, you know."

Sirius' shoulders slumped, "You didn't have to remind me of that fact." He lifted her up, one arm under her knees, the other around her upper torso. He carried her into her room and dropped her on her bed.

"AH! Sirius, what are you doing?" Hermione propped herself up on her elbows. He crawled up over her, pinning her to the bed, a mischievous smirk upon his lips. "I know that look, and the answer is no, I have to go down to breakfast." She tried to roll out from under him, but he pinned his hands on either side of her head. With a featherlight touch she raked her nails up his sides; he shivered under her touch.

"You shouldn't tease me so; it's not at all nice," he growled and attacked her neck, lightly biting and sucking at her skin.

"You're going to leave a mark."

He lifted his head for just a moment, staring straight into her eyes he said, "That, my dear, is exactly the point."

Hermione giggled and rolled them over so she straddled his upper thighs. "I wish I could stay and play, Sirius, but alas, 'tis time for you to go home now."

"No, Hermione." Hermione weaved an intricate pattern with her hands over his chest and he vanished before her eyes. She crashed to the bed, tears prickling, yet she refused to allow them to fall.

"I wish you could have stayed, Sirius. Truly, I do."

Hermione got up from the bed, dressing in her usual weekend clothes of jeans, black ankle boots, a tank top, and her jumper, before heading downstairs to breakfast.

*&~*&~*&~*&~*&~*&~*&~

Draco stomped down the stairs of his dorm and into the Slytherin common room, starling his scattered housemates.

"Damn fucking son of a bitch, I'm gonna kill him. Slit his fucking throat while he sleeps."

"Draco, mate, what the hell is going on?"

Draco ignored the question and proceeded to make for the porthole. A hand on his arm stopping him in his tracks, he spun to face who dared lay a hand on him, wand leveled at their chest.

"Let go." His words were short and simple, yet the malice behind them was unmistakable.

"Can't let you leave, mate. You're not even fully dressed."

"Theo, let go of my arm, I have someone to kill."

Theo looked past Draco to Blaise sitting nonchalantly on the sofa, "Blaise, dude, help me out here." Theo kept a hold of Draco's arm, and pushed the wand down that was pressed into his chest. "We've got to get him calmed down."

"I don't think it's a matter of calming him, it's more a matter of backing him up." Theo rolled his eyes, Blaise stood up from the couch and looked Draco over; he was wearing coal black trousers and nothing else. Blaise imagined the cold stones of the dungeon floor would make his feet cold, but then, in his current state, he was sure that Draco wasn't feeling much of anything aside from rage. "Drake, at least put on some shoes and we'll go with you. Besides, by now, I'm sure he's gone; so you couldn't even kill him no matter how much you may like to."

Draco growled in the back of his throat, "She _just_ fucking slept with the bastard. I _felt_ it! Damn it, Theo, let go! I need to go kill the son of a bitch!"

Blaise and Theo shared a glance and realized that neither were going to talk any sense into him, so Blaise conjured shoes and a stark white shirt for Draco and they followed him out the port hole.

One would think that Draco was running, yet, no one would ever say such a thing; especially with his current state of mind. They caught sight of her outside the doors to the Great Hall. Just as Blaise figured, Hermione was alone, no one near her, not even her ever present posse of Weasel and Potter. Blaise and Theo each reached for one of Draco's arms a moment too slow; he reached Hermione and pushed her into the wall.

He leaned in close to her ear, "I'm going to kill your lover."

Not at all intimidated Hermione whispered into his ear, "You'll have to find him first."

No longer caring who was around or who heard their conversation Draco stepped back from her tempted to point his wand at her and curse her a thousand ways from Sunday and back again. "Damn it, woman, you are mine! Why can't you get that through your thick skull?"

Hermione pushed herself off the wall and stalked towards him, pushing him in the chest, "Yours? Are you fucking kidding me? We're back to that again. I am no more yours than you can control the rising of the sun! You have no say over me, Draco Malfoy, no say on who I see, who I speak to, or who I fuck! I will take whatever lovers I choose, and there is nothing you can do about it."

Blaise and Theo noticed the look on Draco's face, the pure rage that was building in his eyes; knowing they had to do something before everything got out of hand, they each grabbed one of his arms and pulled him back.

"Let. Me. Go."

"No can do, mate. That there girl is going to cost you, big time."

"Walk away, Draco; this is not the time or the place."

Draco wretched his arms out of their grasp and lunged for Hermione. Grabbing a hold of her jumper and pulling her towards him. His words were like a deathly whisper, "I felt you. I felt you fuck him. I know he was here; I don't know how, and I don't really care. But know that I am going to kill him."

His words shouldn't have an effect on her; his jealousy of Sirius should be something she could just laugh off as more of his petty childishness. Yet, there was something in his tone, a look in his eyes that told her he was truly serious. And that if he and Sirius were ever alone in the same room only one of them would live to see another day. It felt as though two sides of her were warring for dominance; one side crying out for Sirius, and the other begging to be let loose on Draco. His words began sinking into her, she hadn't realized she'd been projecting earlier this morning; she didn't know that he could feel her, he wasn't meant to feel the passion she shared with Sirius. Her curiosity pushed her better judgment aside; she would regret later the next words she spoke.

"I wonder, Draco, did you feel me make love to him two nights ago?"

His fist clenched the material of her jumper, ripping tiny punctures in the fabric. The look in his eyes spoke volumes, the world was drowned out by the blood pumping in his ears; it took every ounce of control her had to suppress his rage and not lash out at her.

She chuckled and leaned in closer to him, "I thought not. Otherwise, we would have had this _discussion_ days ago. It's a wonder really, that you didn't sense my nightmare either. I mean, you were part of it. Why is it, you think, that you didn't know that either?" She felt the material rip away from her jumper, she looked down to see the gapping hole and Draco holding a fistful of fabric. Hermione punched him in the gut and stepped back, pulling the jumper off over her head and revealing the tank top she wore underneath. She briefly examined the jumper, and while she could have fixed it with a quick _Reparo_, it was more satisfying to throw it in his face; and so she did.

"I hope you are satisfied. That happened to be my favorite jumper. You wanted a piece of me, Draco Malfoy, and now you have it!" She pivoted on her heel and strode away, the black wolf tattoo on her back growling at him as she walked off away from the Great Hall.

"Black," Draco swore under his breath.

Theo and Blaise cautiously walked up to him. "Mate," Theo began, "I believe it's time you told us exactly what's going on."

*&~*&~*&~*&~*&~*~&*&~*&~*&~*&~*&~


	9. Memories and Secrets

**Chapter 10: Memories and Secrets**

Draco sat in the Syltherin common room. With one knee tucked up to his chest, his other stretched out before him propped up on the coffee table. His right arm draped across his raised knee fiddling with his wand, a blank stare upon his face. Theo and Blaise sat across from Draco, patiently waiting for the story they knew was to come.

After another fifteen minutes of sitting in silence and watching Draco twirl his wand in his hand, Theo decided it was time to say something.

"Draco, we want to help."

Draco looked at him, not even a smirk crossed his lips. His voice was deadpan when he finally spoke. "You can't help."

When Theo made to say something more, Draco pointed his wand in Theo's direction. "I'll give you the highlights, but unless you want to kill Black, then you really can't do anything to help." Draco closed his eyes remembering.

"You once told me that Granger was using me, that all she wanted was information. I actually believed you Theo, I actually thought that maybe you were right. The problem is, you were wrong, and I screwed up because I believed you." Draco stared at the wand in his hand and back to Theo. Theo realized that Draco was contemplating hexing him, though he wasn't sure why.

"How does what happened a year ago have to do with what's happening now?" Blaise asked.

"It has EVERYTHING," Draco closed his eyes and took a deep breath to calm himself. "It has everything to do with it." Draco looked at Blaise before slowly turning to look at Theo. "I left her for dead in a field outside of Hogsmeade amidst a Death Eater attack a year ago, all because of what you told me. You never trusted her, which means you never trusted me."

"We do," Blaise started before being cut off.

"You don't! That's the whole point, Blaise. Neither of you trusted my judgment. I'm done talking about this." Draco set both his feet on the floor and raised himself from his chair. "I've tried to rectify what was screwed up, but it seems that Black had the same idea I had. Now, I have to figure out how to fix this latest debacle."

Draco left the room, leaving Theo and Blaise none the clearer about what was going on between him and Granger.

Blaise looked to Theo. "Do you have any idea what he means?"

"I'm pretty certain it has a lot to do with the tattoos Granger is now sporting. Did you see the dragon on her chest when she threw the jumper to Draco, or how about black wolf that growled at Draco when she turned and left?"

"Draco did mumble something about killing Black, and I'm guessing that the wolf has something to do with Black. What if Draco did something drastic? Cast some sort of spell to bind them? Granger did mention something about feelings."

Theo shrugged. "At this point, mate, I'm not certain of anything. We'll have to wait until Draco decides to let us in. In the mean time, keep an eye on him."

~~~Memories~~~

_Debris was flying all around him, people scrambled to get off the street. Death Eaters stormed Hogsmeade, though Draco couldn't fathom why. All he knew was that he'd just had a fight with Hermione and she was heading that direction. Draco did the only thing he could think of, he transfigured his clothes into Death Eater regalia in order to try to blend in and stay out of the line of fire._

_In Death Eater robes, he should be able to waltz through town without drawing too much attention from the attacking Death Eaters, but he'd have to throw a curse here and there to blend in better. _

_Just then, he caught sight of Hermione, she was standing near a copse of trees just on the outskirts of the town. He watched as she took out three Death Eaters in quick succession. He smiled at that, his Hermione, always the brave one ready to face anything. He was about to run to her when he saw another Death Eater creep up behind her. Draco was too far away to hear what they said to each other and he was too slow to react when the Death Eater hit her square in the chest with a curse._

_Hermione hit the ground and didn't get back up, didn't raise her wand. Draco watched as the Death Eater crouched over her. That was his opportunity, his one shot to take out the Death Eater. Instead he stood stock still waiting to see what this Death Eater might do. Once the Death Eater was gone, Draco made his way to Hermione, careful to stay out of sight and out of the line of fire._

_Draco removed the mask from his face and leaned over Hermione. A knot of dread balled in his stomach, there was so much blood. More than he'd ever seen in his life. He was about to say something, about to pick her up, help her when he heard voices. A voice he knew wouldn't take to seeing him well at all. Add that to the fight they'd had, she'd never trust him to actually help her._

_Draco whispered, "I'm sorry, please forgive me." And then left for the safety of the trees._

_He watched as the mutt picked Hermione up and carried her to safety. At that moment, he knew Hermione was in good hands, but he still didn't know how bad her wounds were or if she'd recover._

Draco lay back on his bed, staring blankly at the canopy above him. The memory of Hermione lying there covered in blood still haunted him. He'd checked with Saint Mungo's for days after that to see if she was alright. But Saint Mungo's never had any record of Hermione Granger ever being brought in. Draco figured the Order must have healed her, or they'd brought her to the castle for Madame Pomfrey to fix up.

When he couldn't find her after two weeks and he hadn't heard of her death, he tried to go to her parent's house to see her. After all isn't that the most likely place she'd be? She wasn't. She wasn't anywhere he could find. Every locator spell that he tried turned up empty. It was like she'd dropped off the face of the planet. When school resumed that September, he'd seen her at the train station with her _body guards_. Draco had tried to gain her attention, but it was as if she didn't see him, or didn't want to see him. That hurt Draco more than he ever imagined anything could.

Frustrated by the path of his thoughts, Draco blasted a hole in the canopy of his four-poster bed. It was very dissatisfying as the fabrics of the canopy knit itself back together moments later. Blasted magic of Hogwarts!

The problem currently on his hands however was that Hermione not only held a piece of him, but also a piece of Black on her person. Draco wondered if he killed Black would that piece of him that was tattooed on Hermione die too? And just how could he find out? Draco huffed, "She'd probably never speak to me if I did that anyway."

~~~Secrets~~~

Hermione paced the floor contemplating what had happened with Draco that morning. She'd never intended for him to feel her interaction with Sirius. Hell, she didn't even know she'd dropped her barriers in her mind. It was something that she was quite certain she'd not be doing again anytime soon.

In the mean time though, she had a few things to figure out. What to do about Draco and his possessiveness, and then what to do about Sirius and his deceit. Hermione hadn't focused on Sirius's deceit the last two days, because she'd needed him to help her forget the pain of the past.

"Pansy, what am I going to do?"

Pansy shook her head in silent mirth. "You are going to stop pacing, you're making me dizzy."

Hermione stopped pacing and stared incredulously at her, "This is serious! Would you stop laughing? You are so _not_ helping right now!"

Pansy sat cross-legged on the floor, her whole body shaking with laughter. "Oh, please. You have to admit that the situation is laughable. You have two men that have bound themselves to you, both want the other one out of the way, you are constantly doing wandless and wordless magic, and you can disapparate yourself from within Hogwarts! The situation is anything but normal, and you have to take it all in stride."

Hermione plopped down on the floor across from Pansy. "You're right, again!"

"Aren't I usually?"

Hermione laughed. "It's why you're my best friend."

"Now, let's go over this again."

Taking a deep breath, Hermione closed her eyes and focused on the events of a year ago.

_She awoke completely disoriented. The last she knew she was lying in a field bleeding out with…_

"NO!" Her breathing was ragged, "I can't do this. I can't relive that moment."

Pansy took Hermione by the shoulders and stared into her eyes. "Hermione, it is only a memory. If you are going to understand what is happening now, then you have to understand what happened a year ago. I know it's hard, but I'm here with you."

Pansy sat back, took Hermione's hands in hers, and simply waited. It took five minutes of deep breathing and attempts to relax before Hermione could continue.

"Draco stood over me, I could see his mouth moving, but I couldn't make out the words."

"Focus on his eyes, see what they tell you."

Rewinding the memory in her mind, Hermione focused on Draco's eyes blocking out everything else. While she was delirious at the time of the memory, she could still see his eyes clearly. His eyes weren't those of a man out to harm her, nor were they the eyes of a man set on deception. "He was looking at me like he was in pain."

"Good, focus on that." Pansy kept a hold of Hermione's hands in hers. "What impression does he give you?"

Keeping her eyes closed, she focused on the memory once more. "He's in pain, but it's not physical pain. He hurts for me." Hermione took a deep inhalation. "He's leaving me, I can't move." Hermione started to hyperventilate.

"Focus on my voice, Hermione, focus!"

"I can't, I can't move. He's leaving, and I can't move!"

"Take a deep breath, Hermione. You can move, you are not stuck there anymore. Focus on the feel of my hands, focus on my voice."

Hermione flexed her fingers and felt Pansy's beneath hers. Her breathing evened out as she pulled herself from the panic of the memory.

Pansy's voice was quiet when she spoke next. "What happened when he left you?"

"It was mere seconds later I felt myself lifted off the ground. I could hear someone talking to me, but I couldn't make out the words." Hermione squinted her eyes shut more tightly, trying to focus on the voice in her memory. "I can't do it, Pans. I can't relive this."

"Think about what you've relived so far. Draco had a look of pain in his eyes and within moments of him leaving you, someone else grabbed you. This is something you've been living with for a year now. Do you still believe he left you willingly?"

Tears streamed down Hermione's cheeks. Her grief was starting to overwhelm her. Everything she had believed this last year was turning into a lie.

Suddenly there was a banging on the door. "HERMIONE!" More banging ensued. "HERMIONE, OPEN THIS DOOR!"

Hermione collapsed to the floor in a puddle of tears.

"HERMIONE, I CAN FEEL YOUR GRIEF, LET ME IN!"

Pansy looked at the distraught witch curled into a ball on the floor; everything the witch before her believed in the past year was wrong. The proof was standing on the other side of the door. Pansy did the only thing that she thought she knew was right. She let Draco in the room.


	10. Emptyness

I've been asked if this story is Hermione/Sirius or Hermione/Draco. the answer to that question is still unknown. The story is a little bit of both, and possibly at some point going to be a bit Hermione/Draco/Sirius together. though, I see Draco having a fit about that one. So it might just be in Hermione's fantasy right now. I'm leaning towards this being a Hermione/Draco fic when it's all said and done. But Sirius is putting in a good argument for his side. I suppose you'll just have to take the ride with me and see where we end up.

WFF Ch 10

Five paces forward he turned and walked five paces in the other direction. Over and over he continued to pace hands clasped behind his back and head bowed. He could hear mumbling coming from somewhere to his left, which would soon be his right…again. He'd blocked out the conversation long ago too focused as he was. The memory floated back to the forefront of Sirius's mind, reliving the pain all over again. But, he smirked anyway; at least pain was something to feel when he couldn't feel _her_.

_Hours ago Sirius had been sitting in the library of Grimmauld Place playing a game of chess with Remus when he felt it. It wasn't the subtle emotions from Hermione that he always felt. No, this was more a torrent of emotions blasting into his skull like a thousand hammers. _

_Sirius grasped his head with both hands, pressing on his temples to stem the pain. But the pain wasn't his, it was hers. Flashes of memory hit him one after the other, each coming faster than the one before till he couldn't make out even the largest of details. _

_He remembered Remus grasping him by the shoulders, trying to keep him upright. But he couldn't even open his eyes, couldn't hear anything but Hermione's crying. Just as abruptly as it began it ended. The images were gone, the emotions were gone; _she_ was gone._

"_Padfoot, what's wrong? What's happening? Padfoot, talk to me."_

_Sirius slumped in his chair breathing heavily and still clutching his head. "I can't feel her anymore."_

"_What do you mean can't feel her? Can't feel who?"_

"_Have to find her." Sirius attempted to rise from his chair, only to crash to his knees on the floor. The place within him where Hermione resided was…empty._

_Remus crouched next to Sirius on the floor. "Talk to me Pads."_

"_Have to find her. Have to get to her." Sirius attempted to rise again only to be laid flat by the pain in his chest. Pushing the pain aside he focused on the proverbial hole in his chest and did his best to close it off. He had to get to her, she needed him. Rising from the floor, Sirius made his way to the stairs. He could hear Remus behind him. _

"_Wait! Find Who? Sirius!?"_

Now, hours later, he was still waiting on some word as to how _she_ was doing. Except word wouldn't come, no one knew where in the castle to find her. They only knew she was in the castle and that she was safe. Safe, as if! Oh great, now he was digressing and sounding like a ruddy teenager. Damn arses had taken his wand away from him too. Apparently he wasn't to be trusted in his _emotional_ state. He just didn't understand why Remus thought he was too emotional. Just because you turn someone into a goat doesn't mean he wasn't stable. He just wanted to get to Hermione.

"_You don't understand Remus! You don't have this hole inside you, a place that for the last year has been filled with the perpetual presence of Hermione and now it's empty. As if she no longer exists!"_

"_Running off half-cocked is not going to solve anything. You heard what Dumbledore said, she's safe."_

"_A two minute conversation through the Floo does not reassure me of anything. How do we know he's doing everything to find her? To assure her safety?"_

"_You have to trust that Dumbledore knows what he's doing! You have to trust that she's safe." Remus implored him to believe him, to trust that Dumbledore knew what was best._

"_And I can't and won't believe that until I see her for myself and can feel her in here again." He thumped his chest with his fist to illustrate his point. Sirius made for the door to Disapparate outside since Remus had cast some sort of shield over the house not allowing him to Apparate inside. Bloody Remus wanted him to stay put and wait._

_Sirius reached for the door knob only to be tossed back on his arse. He picked himself back up and tried to reach for the knob again and was once more repelled. Angrily he turned to Remus, wand raised and ready for battle. No one was going to keep him here. He was going to Hogwarts, he was going to get to Hermione; the rest of them be damned!_

"_It really is for your own good Sirius." Remus tried to placate his friend. "You're bound to get yourself in trouble if you leave now."_

_Without any warning, Sirius cast a hex at his best mate. Remus dogged and the hex hit Tonks turning her into a goat. Sirius tried again to hex Remus only to have the hex deflected. Sirius bombarded Remus with hex after hex fueled by the raging emptiness inside him, the anger at feeling helpless, and being inhibited from doing anything about any of it._

_Remus took the half-second break in Sirius's hexes to disarm Sirius. Now wandless Sirius's rage grew. How dare Remus do this to him! How dare Remus trap him in this house! Sirius stomped forward intent on strangling Remus and reclaiming his wand. Remus blasted Sirius backwards binding and gagging him at the same time._

_Remus restored Tonks to her original form and had to hold her back from beating the tar out of Sirius. _

"_He's emotional, love."_

"_I don't care if he is, he's not right."_

_Remus kissed Tonks lightly. "Think if you couldn't get to me, or your mum." _

_Sighing, Tonks relaxed. "I get it."_

They'd left him that way for a good 30 minutes, until they were sure he'd calmed down enough not to try and either beat them to a bloody pulp or go storming off half-cocked. He did not appreciate being bound by ropes and left on the floor. It was bloody uncomfortable and did nothing for his mood.

Sirius stopped pacing and sank to the floor. Hours ago he'd felt her emotional turmoil, felt her grief, her rage, and her surrender to those emotions. Since then she'd shut down and he hadn't felt a bloody thing. He'd give anything just to feel her again in that special place inside him. Because right now he didn't know what was going on, and all Remus could get out of Dumbledore was that she wasn't in the hospital wing and he would send word once she was located.

It was a load of pig's swallow as far as he was concerned. He knew the Headmaster had ways of finding anyone in the castle within a blink of an eye. Hell, if they'd let him talk to Harry then he'd know instantaneously where she was because he'd have Harry use the map. Instead they kept him in the dark, wouldn't let him go to the castle, and he couldn't draw on their connection to go directly to her. He was lost in his own worry. His mind took him back to the day he found her lying on the ground bleeding to death, helpless and alone.

He learned later that her wounds that day started healing the instant they were created. Yet all he could remember was seeing her covered in blood, so very much of it. After he found her, she hadn't regained consciousness for the next eighteen hours. And in those torturous eighteen hours, he'd made a choice, one that would be irrevocable once done. He'd make sure that he'd always be able to find her, always be able to know if she was hurt, and always be there for her. Consequences be damned. He scoffed at that one. He was damning a lot of things lately. He'd find that funny if the situation didn't seem so dire.

Shaking off the memories, Sirius stood and resumed pacing the floor. Something he had resolved to do until he could get to Hermione. He'd wear a hole in his mother's precious carpet if he wanted to.

"Padfoot, if you don't stop pacing I'm going to immobilize you! Padfoot, do you hear me?" Remus reached out and caught Sirius's arm to stop his forward momentum. "Look at me, Pads!"

Sirius looked up from the floor and snarled at his best mate. "Have you heard anything yet?" The look on Remus's face said it all. "Then let me get back to what I was doing."

Remus didn't let go of his arm. "Stop pacing and sit your arse down!"

"Fuck off!"

Remus sent a stunning jinx at Sirius, momentarily immobilizing him. Remus caught Sirius's body as it crumpled forward. Remus heaved Sirius into a nearby chair and cast a sticking charm for good measure.

When Sirius came awake a short time later, Remus watched as Sirius struggled to move. The only part of his body that was still mobile was his head. "Sorry mate, but it's for your own good."

Sirius growled at Remus. Remus merely chuckled and walked away. _How the hell could Remus laugh at this situation? Didn't he understand what the hell was going on? Didn't he understand that Hermione needed him?_ Taking a deep breath to calm himself, Sirius sat. There wasn't much else that he could do at this point, but sit and wait. Remus had trussed him up like a Turkey at Christmas twice now!

"REMUS!" Sirius hollered, "At least let me talk to Harry. Ask him what the map shows." No answer came from the kitchen. "REMUS! TONKS!" _Why weren't either of them answering him? Perhaps he could try some wandless magic, get himself unstuck from this blasted chair._

Sirius tried multiple incantations, even finite incantatem, but nothing worked. Whatever Remus had done, apparently only Remus would be able to undo.

With nothing better to do and no way out, Sirius finally took stock of what Remus and Tonks were doing around him. They were going over what Dumbledore had relayed. For the first time in hours Sirius actually listened to what they were saying. Apparently Sirius has misinterpreted the look on Remus's face when he told his best mate to go fuck off; because Hermione had actually been located, but it seemed that wherever she was the room wasn't allowing anyone access to get to her. The Headmaster had spoken to a portrait of someone called Niko. Sirius pondered that for a moment, where was this portrait? And why didn't he remember it? Sirius supposed that there were thousands of paintings in the castle and no one could be expected to know them all. He tuned back into the conversation happening around him.

"Niko told Dumbledore that Hermione was safely within the confines of the room; however, the castle had stirred up some magic of its own and sealed the room. Neither the Headmaster nor the portrait could seem to override it to gain entrance. Yet, Niko would keep an eye on Hermione and should anything change he'd send word to the Headmaster at once." Remus finished speaking and looked at Sirius. "I believe for now, Sirius needs to stay contained in his own little shell."

If Sirius could move he'd have hexed Remus to bits. "Contained my arse, I need to be there!" There may not be anything anyone could do, but he could be there when the room finally unsealed itself.

Remus continued as though he hadn't heard Sirius's outburst. And perhaps he hadn't, Sirius huffed. "I've asked Harry to use the map to see who is with her, but even that has failed."

"What do you mean failed?" Tonks asked. Sirius paled, _the map never failed._

"It seems that the magic of the castle has overridden everything and even the map cannot see into the room she is ensconced in." Remus's astonishment was evident in his voice. Never before had the map failed them, and now when they truly had need of it, it was useless.

"What about this portrait? Can't he tell us who is in the room with Hermione?"

"I've asked the Headmaster that same question, but all he says is to trust the magic of the castle."

Sirius internally scoffed at Remus's last remark. Trust the magic of the castle. Ha! If he wasn't stuck in this blasted chair he'd break down the ruddy door of that blasted room and tell the castle where it could shove its magic!

"For now we just have to wait and hope that Hermione comes out soon."

Sirius wasn't too keen on that idea, but until Remus released him he didn't have much choice. _Bet that sodden Malfoy brat is there with her_. That thought chaffed. Sirius didn't like the idea of Malfoy anywhere near his Hermione. "Bugger!"

~~~_Magic~~~_

Inside the Room of Requirement two Slytherins sat watching a lone Gryffindor. Moments after Pansy let Draco into the room the door had sealed itself and disappeared.

"It's been nearly six hours and we still can't get near her. Do you think she'll be okay?"

Draco dared not take his eyes off Hermione. She was in a right state cocooned within her own magic; neither he nor Pansy had been able to get within a metre of her. The cocoon glowed a radiant golden hue and encompassed Hermione's entire body no matter how she moved. Not that she'd moved very much at all in the last six hours.

"Draco, we have to help her." Pansy sat cross-legged on the floor watching her friend wondering what was happening to her.

"What was going on in here Pans?"

Pansy sighed and shifted again. "We were trying to sift through her memories of what happened a year ago."

"WHAT?!" Draco cried, outraged.

Hermione's body gave a terrible shudder and she pulled deeper into herself at the sound of Draco's voice.

"Calm down, that didn't help her! If you want to know I'll tell you. But first I need to know how you knew where to find us."

Calming himself he explained to Pansy briefly about the tattoos and the connection he shared with Hermione. Pansy of course already knew this information, but she wasn't about to tell Draco that. She needed to understand from his point of view what was happening because she had a theory about what Hermione was going through. "There are times that I can feel what she feels, but it seems like it only happens when she lets it happen. As though she controls it somehow. This time, it was like I was blasted with her emotions, like taking a rogue bludger to the head kind of thing. I saw snippets of memory that went by faster and faster and then all there was…was grief and blackness. That's when I found my way up here."

Pansy figured that Hermione hadn't had control of her emotions; the only thing keeping her grounded was Pansy's hold on her hands. Moments after opening the door to Draco the ball of magic cocooned around Hermione and the exit had sealed itself.

"Hermione was trying to understand why you left her in that field a year ago. Though come to think of it, it was more than a year ago now." Pansy shook her head and refocused on the point at hand. "Why you would do that and then bind the two of you together. The two didn't mesh in her mind, and you know Hermione, everything has to make sense, have a rational explanation."

"Damn it all, doesn't she know by now that not everything can be explained?!" Draco stood up and began pacing the room.

"Niko?" Pansy called out softly.

"Yes milady?"

"Please send word to the Headmaster that Hermione is still ensconced in a cocoon of magic and see if he has any advice for us as of yet."

Niko nodded and vanished from view.

"I still hate that portrait." Draco groused.

Pansy smiled and resumed watching Hermione for any changes.

~~~_Within Hermione_~~~

Curled up in a ball on a pure white floor surrounded by shimmering white on all sides of her was Hermione Granger. Slowly the sobs that racked her body ceased and her breathing returned to normal. As she gained more control of herself she slowly unfurled from the fetal position she held so tightly to and laid on her back staring up at oblivion.

Pictures began to form on the walls around her, trees, a dirt path, Hogsmeade, Death Eaters. Hermione gave an involuntary shudder. She'd been down this path with Pansy, and she didn't want to relive it again. But it wasn't her fight with Dolohov the walls were showing her; it was Draco. He was racing down the path towards Hogsmeade, and he seemed frantic. She watched him duck behind a tree when he saw the Death Eaters, the blind panic that over took his face.

Sitting up and watching the scene, Hermione had a chance to analyze it in a way she never had before. She watched Draco transfigure his robes into Death Eater regalia. And then he was with her. Hermione hadn't even had a chance to see her fight with Dolohov, hadn't seen herself go down. She watched has Draco looked panicked; it suddenly occurred to her that he wasn't sure what to do. There must have been so much blood, so many cuts upon her body.

Draco looked up frantically and then ran. Hermione wanted to scream at him to wait, to come back. But then she realized why he left. Sirius was there along with other Order members. That's why he'd left her. Not because he wanted her to die, not because he was working with the Death Eaters, but because the Order had arrived and he knew they could care for her better than he could at the time.

The scene continued to unfold around her and showed Sirius lifting her from the ground, cradling her in his arms and rushing away. Except he wasn't heading towards the castle as she figured he had all that time ago. He moved them to the safety of an alleyway between buildings and apparated them to Grimmauld Place.

"Wait!" She hollered into the emptiness of the room. "Show me Draco."

Grimmauld Place vanished and was replaced with Draco slinking back along the tree line and Apparating away. She imagined that he would have reappeared in Malfoy Manner, but instead it looked as though he reappeared in a small flat.

"I need to see more." The room shifted around her and instead of seeing things as a picture she was inside the flat with Draco, living his memory like a pensive.

Draco picked up a vase and smashed it against a wall. He kicked an end table and caused it to go flying. He certainly wasn't weak, that was for certain. A picture caught Hermione's attention. It was one of her, sitting outside of Hogwarts in her favorite hip huggers and a bright pink tee. She was laughing but she also looked to be scolding the photographer. It took her a moment to realize what moment that was. It was her birthday sixth year, it was also the day Draco had given her an amethyst tear drop necklace.

Hermione smiled at the memory that was the day he'd asked her to go out with him. She'd laughed and told him he was a dolt. But then he'd given her the box and she'd seen what was inside. She didn't want to believe him, and it had still taken him weeks to convince her to give him a chance. But that was the first time that she had truly smiled at Draco Malfoy, and it seemed he'd found a way to preserve the memory even without a camera.

She continued looking around his flat as he continued to destroy it. He was mumbling to himself, recriminations she was certain for not having stolen her away himself. She found more pictures of herself and some of them together.

Hermione had believed Draco a pawn of his father's, but this place showed her he was so much more. He was his own man and no one was going to own him. Silently Hermione willed time to move faster, to watch Draco over the days it took her to recover. She watched as he checked with St. Mungo's for her, he checked with Madame Pomfrey, he even asked Harry. But no one would give him any answers. Finally, she watched as he checked the Daily Prophet for obituaries, certain that he'd see her name there.

She sat down next to his memory self and brushed a hand down his cheek. It went right through him, but she understood the sentiment behind the move. He'd cared for her, he'd needed to know she was alright. It wasn't until September when they'd returned to Hogwarts that he finally knew she was alive and in his moment of rejoice she'd shot him down and refused to speak to him. She understood now why he'd done what he'd done. Sirius had similar motives. A need to be there for her, a need to keep her safe, a need to know.

"Oh Draco, I'm so sorry."

Hermione backed herself out of the scene, closed her eyes and focused on Malachi. Except Malachi isn't what the room showed her. Instead, she flopped down into a _memory_ of when she was six. Except, this wasn't her memory at all, her six year old self was asleep.

"This isn't what I want to see." Hermione called out to the room.

"_But it is what you need._" A disembodied voice echoed softly in the room.

"Why?"

"_Watch._" The voice replied.

Looking around the pink and orange room Hermione saw nothing of importance to her. Aside from her six year old self having terrible color coordination. Figuring there must be something important when she couldn't get the room to change; Hermione took a seat on the bench under the window and waited.

She didn't have long to wait when a bright orb of light came in through the ceiling and hovered over her. Hermione stared at it but had to look away sharply as it nearly blinded her. The orb shifted away from grown Hermione and hovered over the child she used to be.

"That's odd," she whispered. The orb seemed to respond to her voice and shift slightly in her direction again. She held up her hands in supplication and waited.

The orb drifted over her six year old self from the tip of her head to the curl of her toes and back again. Hermione was cautious of this orb, worried that it was going to do something to her. Yet, she reasoned, anything it might do had already been done.

Then the orb wasn't an orb at all, it was shifting forms becoming more corporeal. In its place stood a petite woman with long dark hair pulled back in a plait and she was wearing the most interesting garment Hermione had ever seen. It wasn't a dress but it wasn't robes, it was something like a mix of the two. And it shimmered when the woman moved, never the same color from one moment to the next.

Hermione watched as the woman pulled strands of living magic from the air and strands of magic from young Hermione and wove them together. The color of the strands shifted from a golden hue to a blue so translucent it was nearly invisible to the naked eye. The woman seemed to not notice that Hermione sat upon the bench under the window. In fact Hermione couldn't be certain if the orb the woman had been had realized she was there or not.

"Now little one, no one can ever hurt you again." The woman melted away into the orb of light and after bobbing in the air for the span of a few heartbeats the orb darted up through the ceiling.

She didn't know what the woman had just done to her younger self, but she was certain whatever it was it's what caused her to heal the way she did. What had the woman meant by hurt her _again_? Hermione had no memory of being hurt by anyone when she was young. The entire exchange confused her.

Hermione closed her eyes and pictured the room blank again. Opening her eyes she was once again surrounded by shimmering white.

Turning her sight inwards she sought her magical core. She was certain that whatever the woman did to her as a child it was tied to her magic. Pulsing within her was the translucent blue that she'd seen in the _memory_. The change allowed her to instantly heal, but Hermione wanted to know what else it caused. Looking deeper she saw two other cords tangled with her core, that didn't surprise her at all. A green cord and a crimson one.

Hermione laughed long and hard at that one. Of course Draco's cord would be green and Sirius's would be crimson. Just goes to show how deep house colors embed themselves in us. Or perhaps it was simply her perception of them that colored them so for her to tell the difference between them.

Examining the two cords twined through her magical core, Hermione realized that she could very easily undo them. She didn't need Malachi to tell her how to undo the magic; she had the ability all on her own. Neither tether was more powerful than the other, neither was unbreakable. Which made Hermione realize one other thing; she wasn't married to either man. She was simply bound to them with a magical and emotional connection. One that she had complete and utter control over.

Leaving the tethers as they were, Hermione focused first upon the crimson cord. Her senses flew out ahead of her and the room showed her Sirius, bound to a chair cursing Remus. Why was Sirius bound to the chair?

"Show me." The room spun around her and played out Sirius's collapse, his tantrum, his pacing, and finally Remus binding him. It took Hermione a moment and replaying the scene multiple times to finally understand that when she was overwhelmed by her memory she'd severed her connection to Sirius. She'd basically cut him off right after blasting him with intense emotions. No wonder Sirius seemed to lose it for a bit. She'd have to update Sirius soon and maybe Remus too.

Her thoughts spun around her, if Sirius had freaked out on her, then…"Oh my, what happened to Draco?"

The room whirled again and brought Draco and Pansy into view, both watching Hermione's body cocooned in magic. Well, it looked as though Draco had fared better than Sirius did. Though he was sitting so stoic that she couldn't be sure what he was feeling.

"Alright magic, time to wake up again. We've work to do!"


End file.
